City Plays Hard Ball with Shannon

Shannon Medical Center sent a letter to City employees explaining how they can serve the 70% who utilized Shannon's services in 2012.  Click on the image below to make it larger:

The odd thing is not considering Shannon "out of network" for hospital care.   COSA employees using Shannon for nonemergency acute care are like Stripes customers, cash & carry. That's alot of ka-ching, even with a 50% discount.

Mayor New and City Council may drive San Angelo's safety net hospital into the arms of a tax paying entity.  Big money men shop for distressed health care assets.  How long before Shannon goes for cheap?

While health care is frequently the cause of crisis, the City of San Angelo manufactured one to push this move. 

City Council Finally Will Hear ERRP Presentation

City staff will make a presentation on the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program, nearly 16 months after being approved by Health & Human Services.  ERRP went from:

--invisible to 

--hush-hush to 

--iffy to

--too complex to

--nearly $350,000 in cash

It's item # 11 on the agenda:

Consideration of the following matters related to the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program (ERRP) reimbursement funds
a. Consideration of accepting said funds
b. Discussion and possible action regarding allocation for use of said funds received in the amount of $343,287.50 and based on the 2010 health insurance claims (Presentation by Human Resources and Risk Management Director Lisa Marley)

The city is restricted in its use of ERRP money.  Eventually it will be used to lower premiums for workers/retirees or improve benefits.  The city did not use ERRP funds for either purpose in 2011 or 2012.  Maybe they'll have an impact in 2013...

Uncle Sam to Imitate San Angelo on Medicare?

Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Paul Ryan (R-WI) proposed shifting Medicare to a fixed contribution benefit for senior citizens.  The plan is based on the same foundation as the City of San Angelo's fixing their contribution toward employee/retiree health insurance.

Should the Wyden-Ryan plan pass, will Uncle Sam also pass on draconian premium increases in bad years, while taking the lion's share of savings in good years?  That's what COSA did in 2011 and plans for 2012.

I expect San Angelo to eventually dump their health insurance benefit, as most employers may.  Senator Ron Wyden offered pioneering proposals in this arena long ago.  Union leader Andy Stern said in 2006, employer sponsored health insurance is dead and not coming back.   A bipartisan team would be needed to make this a reality.

The race to the lowest global common denominator on worker pay/benefits, including health care and retirement, continues.  Exempt are campaign donations and executive pay.  Gorging must continue at the campaign money trough.

ASU's Turbulent Future Includes Two New Alumni Positions

Angelo State University will pay for ASU Alumni Association's Executive Director and Office Manager in an announced move.  These two new university positions will report to ASU's newest Vice President, Jason Penry.

The three new slots came after the Texas Legislature decimated ASU's budget, requiring the elimination of 30 positions.  A companion announcement said ASU would spend $435,000 on two pieces of yard art.  Apparently Texas Tech's budget practice of spending a portion of new construction funding on art wasn't impacted by budget cuts. 

ASU is also considering a move to Division 1 athletics.  Employee pay was frozen and many educators took on double overloads, teaching more courses with higher enrollment.  ASU is either a conundrum or a tale of two universities.  One side gives, while the other takes.

Earth Bound Art Coming to ASU

Modern art lovers will be excited about Angelo State University's planned additions.The red ribbon piece is budgeted at $60,000, while the stainless steel comes in at $375,000.  Texas Tech requires a portion of major construction projects be dedicated to public art.  The art is intended to enhance the University's ambiance and aesthetics, even add whimsy, according to Dr. Rallo.

One criteria mentioned by Dr. Rallo is the art shouldn't look like aliens dropped it from space.  I'll leave it up to you to judge, but space art beauty is clearly in the eye of the beholder.

Update 1-11-12:  KLST ran a story on Dr. Rallo's new yard art at ASU.

City of San Angelo ERRP Update

With 90% of federal funds expended, the City of San Angelo nervously awaits $150,000 in Early Retiree Reimbursement Program funds.  So far COSA received  $343,000 from the feds for retiree health claims. 

Nearly one year after ERRP began paying claims, San Angelo made the recipient list.  The City's dragging its feet in filing claims turned Harold Dominguez's "iffy" assessment into reality.  Let's hope Harold didn't leave $150,000 on the table as retirees need the help.  How many will be left when the city decides to share?

Rallo & Entourage Head to SACS Annual Meeting

Angelo State University President Joe Rallo recently attended the SACS Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida.  Rallo serves on the board of the university accrediting body, as ASU sits in a precarious position. 


ASU's future accreditation might be in the hands of a good report writer.  The editor's task is writing a consistent report that presents the university's accomplishments in the most favorable light.

The university's compliance and accreditation committees changed as often as Rallo's Vice Presidents.  The point man for much of ASU's accrediation work was Dr. Limbaugh, headed to North Montana State for a Chancellorship.

There is a game plan.  The question is execution with top turnover and organizational trauma inflicted by the Texas legislature.  Ironically, Dr. Rallo is now Chair of a Texas higher education council, one focused on public universities.  His responsibility is to interact with the Texas legislature.

Rallo failed to publicly fight for ASU in the last budget decimation.  How will he fare representing all public universities in early 2013?   

Also attending SACS on behalf of ASU were:

Nancy Allen - Vice Provost

Crystal Braden - Director of Institutional Planning, Policy Effectiveness

Doyle Carter - QEP Director

Stephen D. Emmons - Faculty Representative

Sarah Logan - Asst. VP Institutional Research & Accountability

Brian May - Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Bradley Petty - Director of University Recreation

Karen Shumway - Director of Student Learning Assessment

Paul Swets - Interim Dean, College of Arts and Sciences

John Wegner - Associate Professor/Director of Center for Innovation in Teaching and Research

Dr. Wegner serves in the English faculty.  I expect he'd know the difference between wording for strength and clarity vs. spinning yarns.  It remains to be seen how ASU will muster the will and competence to pass accreditation given its fractured culture and unceasing turnover. 

How did I know to research this story?  I sat behind Dr. Rallo on American Eagle's 7:00 am flight to DFW.