Carter County Commission To Address Resident Concerns About Ballad Health At Upcoming Meeting
Image Credit: Carter County / YouTube
The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –
As Ballad Health continues to monopolize East Tennessee’s healthcare system, Carter County residents are making it clear that they are not interested in what Ballad has to offer.
During a Carter County Commission meeting last month, Commissioners Angie Odom and Nancy Brown proposed that the commission put together a resolution outlining their concerns about Ballad, which would then be brought to the Tennessee General Assembly.
“The commission was brave enough to answer the cries of the people,” wrote Danielle Goodrich with Johnson City Freedom. “We need to stand with them to see it through. And then we need to do this at every county in our region.”
Currently Ballad Health’s twenty hospitals are the only option for hospital care for most residents in the 29-county region that includes East Tennessee and parts of Virgina, Kentucky, and North Carolina.
At this point many Tennesseans have shared stories of the negative impact that the insufficient healthcare services and facilities available to them have created, since Ballad was initially permitted to take over the area.
“The state of Virginia and the state of Tennessee took a chance on [Ballad] to do the right thing,” stated Executive Director of the Tennessee Justice Center, Michele Johnson. “And they’ve proven that they are not worthy of that chance.”
According to the Tennessee Department of Health, Ballad has failed to meet around 80% of the benchmarks designed to monitor and improve its quality of care. This includes rates of infection and death which have resulted in federal health officials issuing one-star ratings to three of Ballad’s hospitals, including Johnson City Medical Center.
Ballad has also neglected its annual charity care obligation to Tennessee, falling behind by about $148 million over a four-year period, and instead taking thousands of patients to court in order to collect unpaid bills.
On Friday, Johnson City Freedom posted to their social media encouraging those with Ballad related stories to share testimony or simply just show up and fill the room at this week’s commission meeting.
“If you have a Ballad story come share it,” read the post. “If you don’t want to talk, but want to support please come.”
The upcoming Health Education Welfare meeting of the Carter County Commission is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, October 3rd, at 6pm (EST).
About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee. You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
Where is the meeting being held?
Past time for BALLAD and Levin to go. For SALE!!