Rumor
Mill separates fact from fiction
MUHA cost of living raise
Rumor: I was told that MUHA employees
will get a cost of living raise increase on July 1.
Truth: FY 2002/03 Performance Pay
Plan—Since gaining the flexibility allowed through the Hospital Authority
legislation, hospital administration has sought to design market-based
pay plans with emphasis upon performance rather than the traditional public
sector cost-of-living pay adjustments. The performance pay plan for FY
2001/02 (actual increases were awarded to all eligible employees in January
2002) serves as an example. Hospital administration is currently
considering the pay plan for FY 2002/03 but no final decision has been
made. It is expected, due to budgetary limitations including the potential
for dramatic Medicaid funding cuts, that performance pay will be less than
last year.
It is also expected that the FY 2002/03 performance pay plan
(not the amount of increases per se) will include the same elements as
this year, including the uniform January increase date. Please refer to
Medical Center HR compensation policy #15 (see Medical Center Intranet)
and the pay plan attachment (for FY 2001/02) for examples of the elements
(not including actual amounts) that are expected to be continued in the
FY 2002/03 performance pay plan.
Old computers
Rumor: Is there any truth to the
rumor that staff will be allowed to purchase the old computers in the hospital
for a nominal fee, such as $100? The machines are just sitting around all
over the place in everyone's way.
Truth: This is not true currently
as such direct transactions of state property with employees are specifically
prohibited under both MUHA and MUSC procurement regulations. All old property
must be surplused with the State who has the direct authority and responsibility
for its disposal (often by public auction, or by making it available to
other State units who would be in need of such property). MUHA has been
and will continue exploring ways this might be worked out for its employees
over the future. You will be immediately informed of costs and details
of such purchases if ever approved.
Finances
Rumor: Is it true that while most
physicians get two pay checks (one from the UMA and one from MUSC), there
is a significant number of individuals who get a third (undeclared) check
from the hospital (such as Carolina Family Care Physicians, Transplant
Surgery, Digestive Center etc.). If so, given our financial situation,
should this not stop?
Truth: Physicians and some non-physician
faculty as well as some administrators receive compensation from a variety
of sources depending on the contractual arrangements peculiar to their
jobs.
There are no “undeclared” checks allowable under state or federal law,
and all compensation from all sources is fully reported.
Bus service
Rumor: Is there some unspoken problem
with the bus drivers? Most of them have had some attitude the last three
weeks or so. They act like they are half asleep, when they stop, they are
either way before the marked stop or way after it, they don't acknowledge
the usual thanks or have a good day they receive from passengers, and so
on. It's not every single driver, but it is most of them. Something is
up with them, as a group, in the way they treat their customers.
Truth: We appreciate and welcome
an opportunity to address the rumor regarding bus drivers. Though no event
comes to mind which would effect the overall performance of all drivers
there are some specific work environment factors which sometimes contribute
to morale and attitude.
These include: 1) Split Shift Work. MUSC's bus drivers clock in for
three to five hours in the morning, clock out for three to five hours and
then clock back in for the afternoon routes. This makes for an awkward
work day with great impact on personal life. 2) Injuries. Two drivers have
experienced minor injuries preventing them from driving for several weeks.
Their workload falls on the rest. They are expected to return to full duty.
3) Disability Retirement. One driver recently became disabled and is unable
to drive. Retirement and recruitment actions are in the works. The load
of this driver of course is picked up by the rest, and supervisors and
qualified administrators have also been called on to fill in. 4)
Weekend Work. In the last several weeks, University Transportation has
been called on to support the Special Olympics at the Citadel and the Cooper
River Bridge Run. The bridge run is especially arduous requiring the driver
force to start work at four the morning of the race.
None of the above are meant to be excuses for the behavior noted in
the Rumor Mill question, nor is it the policy of the Transportation Department
to condone any such behavior. They are presented to more clearly communicate
some of the less than ideal conditions under which this important service
to all of us is performed by these hard working folks. Customer Service
and Safety are scheduled to be topics of upcoming staff training in the
near future. The management of University Transportation welcomes you to
contact the director, Steven Mengler, at 577-0473 at any time to bring
to his attention any unsafe driving situation or instance of substandard
customer services.
Higher cost at MUSC
Rumor: I recently received a bill
from the State Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance group. It regarded a visit
to the Storm Eye Institute for a followup exam after a “false positive”
reading during a glaucoma screening weeks before. The already excessive
bill had a $50 extra charge on it. When speaking to a BCBS representative,
I was told the $50 extra charge was because I went to an outpatient clinic
in an inpatient facility. The representative went on to say that in order
to save money, I should have all lab work, X-rays, checkups, etc. done
at external facilities to avoid such charges. Is that what MUSC wants?
First we lose any discounts for being employees at this institution, and
now we are essentially forced to have medical services performed elsewhere.
It seems counterproductive if you ask me.
Truth: The State Health Plan modified
its benefits effective Jan. 1 to require patients pay a $50 copayment for
the first three services received through an outpatient hospital facility.
Since Rutledge Tower is an outpatient hospital facility, these copayments
are applicable for the first three visits to any provider in Rutledge Tower
each calendar year. MUSC does still offer a hospital discount to its active
state employees without any secondary insurance.
Under this policy, all covered hospital services should be provided
on an "insurance only" basis to the patient with no remaining out of pocket
liability. This means that the $50 copayment for outpatient services will
not be charged by the hospital to the patient.
Therefore, there should be no additional expense associated with receiving
care at MUSC for this group of employees. This policy is not applicable
to active state employees with a second health plan or retired state employees
because of certain billing laws that make it impossible to offer this discount
to those employees. The discount policy also does not apply to physician
services provided through University Medical Associates.
We are currently working with the State Health Plan to ensure that
patients that receive minor health care services, such as allergy shots,
blood pressure checks and office visits to their physician are not required
to pay this $50 copayment. This issue, however, remains unresolved at the
present time.
Reproduced from http://www.musc.edu/rumor/.
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