Last week, we posted this item pointing out that certain investments made by an “affiliate” of Mercy Health strongly suggested that the hospital system could be more flush with cash than it says. Mercy is of course pleading poverty in a dispute with insurer Anthem in which it is reportedly seeking an increase in reimbursement rates of more than three times the rate of hospital inflation. And it has kicked Medicaid patients in Ohio out of network as a pressure tactic to force Anthem’s hand.
We have emailed Mercy’s spokeswoman, Maureen Richmond, about this twice now and have heard nothing back. We will keep asking the question, at least here, but we hope other Ohio publications will, too. If a Mercy affiliate can be investing in a $2.9 billion joint venture, how broke is Mercy, really?
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