Raid by state is forcing up county taxes

Bil Bruno
Arizona Republic
Jun. 1, 2007 02:05 PM

Taxpayers deserve the truth. And sometimes, the truth can be ugly. The simple fact is this: State government has taken federal money appropriated for health care to the underserved and has redirected it into the state general fund.

In 2003, county voters created the special district to administer health care through the Maricopa Integrated Health System (MIHS), which includes Maricopa Medical Center (previously known as the county hospital) and family health centers across the Valley.

As one of the five elected directors of the district, I have pledged to exercise fiscal discipline while providing safe, quality health care. The citizens of the Southeast Valley deserve nothing less from their elected leader.

Unfortunately, we have inherited a situation that is diverting an enormous federal subsidy away from MIHS and into state coffers - even though government mandates require that health care providers must retain 100 percent of the claimed expenditure. This subsidy, known as disproportionate share (DSH), was created to help those public hospitals serving a much higher percentage of lower income or uninsured patients.

In the four years since citizens voted to save our county's health care safety net and approved the health care district, MIHS has received only $17 million of the $354 million DSH funding for the medically underserved. Recently the state Senate approved and the governor indicated she would sign a bill to again withhold almost all of the MIHS DSH funding.

The practice of redirecting federal funds meant to serve the medically underserved cannot stand. We sent a letter to the governor saying our fiduciary responsibility to county residents precludes us from certifying any methodology that endorses the deception of Arizona taxpayers. The fight has only begun.

Our mandate is to train physicians, maintain 24/7 level one trauma services, operate the Arizona Burn Center, participate in cutting-edge medical research projects and treat those who come to us needing care. The diversion of DSH funds continues to place an undue strain on the taxpayers of Maricopa County.

We will fight for those funds as we continue to focus internally on strategies to become more efficient, effective, safer and better stewards of all public funds that are entrusted to us.

Chandler resident Bil Bruno was elected in 2004 to represent the citizens of the East Valley (District 1) as a member of the Special Health Care District Board of Directors, which administers the Maricopa Integrated Health System.

Last updated on August 8, 2008