WRIL has been told that yet again Southeastern Kentucky Medical Center has no funding to pay their employees this pay period - Friday January 4, 2019.
Just weeks ago administrators in Pineville blamed the lack of a Medicare payment for the reason funds were not available for payroll. No word on the cause of this lack of funds. This is one of many payrolls not met by the Americore Health LLC run facility. Also in question is whether or not employees actually have insurance that has continued to be deducted from their paychecks, when they actually receive them. We also understand that employees who have spoken to local media have had their schedules reduced to very few hours by the hospital out of retaliation for doing so.
Ellwood City Hospital employees have yet to be paid by Americore from the last pay period. They were told at one point to deposit the checks handed out on December 21st, but those checks bounced. Mayor Court tells CBS affiliate KDKA-TV that employees received cashier checks today covering their paychecks dated Dec. 21. However, those checks bounced because the new hospital owners, Florida-based Americore Health, had insufficient funds.
Court says employees were also told they would get paid the last two weeks early next Monday or Tuesday which is the same thing the Southeastern Kentucky Medical Center employees were told.
Our friends at the Lee Daily Register have more on the insurance issue:
Employees at both hospitals report to LDR that Americore allowed their health insurance coverage to lapse in December. Reports state that coverage lapsed as of Dec 1, but employees were not notified until today. Below is a copy of an e-mail from Americore CEO Grant White about the insurance issue.
Employees at Ellwood City tell LDR that Americore told them that they will be paid next Friday instead of today.
**As always with all of the coverage from WRIL, we maintain that the quality of care provided by the employees of the SEKYMC has never been in question by us, only the operation of the facility and management of funds and personnel by Americore Health. We also openly question the decision of the current hospital board not to properly vet Americore before entering into an agreement for operation of the facility. These are valid questions and since it deals with the community at large we will continue our coverage.