CullmanTimes.com - Cullman, Alabama

Top News

Discussion

November 3, 2008

Hospital still waiting on FEMA money

By Tiffany Green

The recent hurricane and current economic crisis have combined to put financial pressure on many entities, one being Cullman Regional Medical Center (CRMC).

CRMC has yet to receive reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to cover the medical costs associated with hurricane evacuees during Hurricane Gustav.

“CRMC and Cullman Emergency Medical Services have not yet received any reimbursement,” said Jete Edmisson, CFO/COO of CRMC.

“We did document all costs related to medical care provided to evacuees,” Edmisson said. “We have submitted charges to the Red Cross, who is the designated host agency in charge of the Cullman County evacuee site.”

All submissions will go through the Red Cross, which Edmisson said will be responsible to turn it in to FEMA.

“The Red Cross has submitted the charges on the hospital’s behalf to FEMA for eventual payment,” Edmisson said.

Edmisson said he hopes to get the money soon.

“We do anticipate that the government and FEMA will follow through with payment,” he said.

CRMC incurred over $100,000 in costs and treated 53 patients at the hospital and more than 100 on-site at Wallace State Community College.

The ambulance service set up a 24-hour, on-site triage clinic for the evacuees at Wallace State.

Jerry Sellers, director of the CEMS Ambulance Services, said the agency assisted more than 100 people and submitted over $54,984 in charges.

The ambulance service also transported more than 100 evacuees to various healthcare facilities and doctors’ offices.

The total documented charges for both the ambulance services and CRMC was $121,500.

Nesha Donaldson, director of accounting at CRMC, submitted over $66,500 in charges.



‰ Tiffany Green can be reached by e-mail at tgreen@cullmantimes.com or by telephone at 734-2131, ext. 221.

Text Only
Top News