Cancer Center
 

Today I read in the Daily Sun that the Developer is looking for the residents to pony up $6.4 million to equip the new Cancer Center. I am stunned by that revelation. The reimbursement from the delivery of patient care is expected to cover the cost of the building and equipment. Now they want to be paid twice! Once by the residents, and again by the insurance carriers, mostly Medicare.

Here is how this works. The developer of the center takes out a loan for the building, equipment and working capital. Once they begin seeing patients, they recover the costs and, in this case, make a pretty decent profit. The radiation therapy side of the business is profitable, the medical oncology side, not so much.

When the initial story came out that the Developer was providing the building and was going to run the center independent of the Hospital, I thought it was a pretty good business move. Of course the original cost of $2 million of equipment was laughable. I think at the time I said that you cannot buy a state of the art accelerator for $2 million.

I just cannot believe that they do not have a complete financial feasibility study for this project. They must know what they are doing, though I now have my doubts.

I am stunned, as well. Kind of reminds me of the bond controversy. I welcome the cancer center, but you think it will benefit Morse to attract more buyers?:shrug:

Would somebody kindly copy and paste the article. Thanks!

Watch the Daily Sun site....the article will probably be posted there.

http://www.thevillagesdailysun.com/

Yesterdays news when I click the link.

Being that the Daily Sun is a vehicle for the developer I doubt that they used the term " pony up".:confused:

I wish I could read what the article said.

Look again tomorrow.

Cancer center
 

It amazed me that the developer, with all his experience and staff, "didn't realize just how expensive either the special construction or special equipment would be."

Also, asking "residents' to raise the $6.3 million dollars needed to equip the state-of-the art facility"-- what about the 'non-residents' from the surrounding areas - will they have access to the facility also?

Yes,it will be great to have this facility -- but today's headlines were one big shock!

It appears that they do The Daily Sun online differently now. For each section (i.e., "News", "Villages," Sports,") they give you one article from yesterday, one from the day before and one from the day before that. None from today. So it won't appear tomorrow unless it's the one News article they choose. Not cool.

I'm slightly disappointed that, so far, postings here imply that, when the Cancer Center was announced to be here, everyone expected it to be totally paid for!

My initial reaction this morning was to think in terms of "how can the various groups I belong to help Villagers to have the very best medical equipment?" I personally intend to devise ways of helping.

The Developer has deep, deep pockets. We all know that. But, I cannot see that it is his/their responsibility to finance the whole d*** thing!

SWR
:beer3:

Thank You
 

At last, someone who doesn't think that living here entitles them to a free ride courtesy of the Morses.

I would imagine that it took some doing to get Moffitt to pick here for another center. (I think it called "politics".) That said, I do agree with the other poster that said it will not be for the exclusive use of Villagers and therefore, others should contribute as well.

How soon everyone seems to have forgotten that Morses donated the land for the soon-to-be-open new VA facility. Had they not donated it and simply put more homes/businesses in Villages, vets would still be going elsewhere for everything.

Like I have said, living here is a choice. I, too, choose to help.:beer3:

The only problem I see about this story, is they didn`t say where we can send a donation....

I don't think he owes us a free ride either. I just would like to see a copy of the article, so I can understand what this new information is. Maybe it will be online tomorrow.

The addition of one word "area" ahead of residents, would have eliminated all the hand wringing posts today.
However, if the info about the equipment being paid for twice is true....then raising money will be very difficult.

Unbelievable! I am not expecting a free ride. The development of a cancer center is a business activity, and if done correctly is a very profitable one. I expect that the Morses know what they are doing, and will turn a profit on this venture. And I am all for this. So who pays for the land, building, equipment and working capital of a cancer center? It is paid for by the people who use it, more correctly their insurance companies. In the case of a cancer center that is usually Medicare. Medicare reimburses on a use basis, and their payments factor in the cost of the building, equipment, etc..

I have developed cancer centers before and I know how this works. If you really want to make a donation, establish a Foundiation for the uninsured. Cancer treatment is an expensive propisition.

I am truly insulted that anyone took what I wrote as expecting a free ride. Please read my initial post and tell me where I am wrong.

Maybe you should consider volunteering your expertise to this project.

Haven't read the article (since I can't find it) but I would very, very, highly doubt if what you stated isn't exactly what is intended. I would find it hard to believe that either (probably both) Moffit or Morse wouldn't know EXACTLY what the plan was. You don't just announce something this large and then try to figure it out. Not either one's MO.

My 2 Cents.

Article
 

Perhaps I interpreted what you are saying incorrectly. Maybe the choice of words was not what you really meant.

The quote in the paper by Gary Morse is, "...I committed to finance and construct the building, confident that our residents would come together and raise the money neeeded to buy the equipment....." I don't understand who the "they" are that are expecting to be paid twice for both facility and equipment.

I don't agree with him that our residents need to be alone in raising the equipment monies. As the other poster said, it should have read "area" and not "our".

It sounds like you could lend much to this endeavor with your expertise. It seems that would benefit all, including G. Morse.

All you supposed "experts" should not sit on the sidelines and put down this opportunity for all local residents. Come on in and donate time and effort at fund raising. Stop the whining and pitch in and help..........It might be you someday who will need cancer treatments. Step up to the plate...........I'm sure we can count on your generous donation.

I haven't read the article, so I'm not commenting on that part of the discussion. I would like to comment on raising funds for your community.

The area where I'm from in rural Southwest Virginia, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and very poor, hosted a golf tournament in June and raised $15,149,183.98 for a charity. That's right over $15 million, with an "M" million.

It is amazing what people can do when they have a vision and work together. The story of the charity they gave the money to is another amazing story.

It is a school/home for disadvantaged children. The private owners have never taken a penny of state or federal funds since it started as an orphanage in 1921.

No one is charged a dime to put their children in the school/home. The children from Mountain Mission School excell. More than 90% of the school’s graduates enroll in colleges.

Sorry to sorta hi-jack the thread. Just wanted to say I'd be willing to help on any fundraisers. The Moffitt Center does actually have a foundation already established for charitable donations. I'm sure you could contact someone there and find out about donations specifically for the new center's needs.

http://www2.tricities.com/news/2010/...d-b-ar-233713/

"Maybe you should consider volunteering your expertise to this project."

Ouch, Morse employees getting a little testy here!

Midge, way off base here..............not an employee of Morse.
The poster said......I have developed cancer centers before and I know how this works. If you really want to make a donation, establish a Foundiation for the uninsured. Cancer treatment is an expensive propisition.......Please explain why it it wrong to suggest this person get involved in this project?

Look, I have thought about this. If this is being set up as a non-for-profit corporation, then great, fund raise for equipment. If it is a for profit, like most free standing cancer centers, than my point stands. I guess it is about who ends up owing the center and collecting the patient revenue.

I did not mean to cause all of this, but the salient information on this project needs to be released so that the resdients can understand what they are being asked to pay for.

You are very well informed medically. Are you a nurse or MD or radiation person or hospital administrator? You don't have to answer, I am just nosey.

Don't be nosey Gracie.
Shame on you.

Central Florida Health Alliance is a not-for profit family of hospitals according to their website. The Villages Health System and the Leesburg Regional Medical Center are both part of the Central Florida Health Alliance.

When a hospital is classified a "not-for-profit" by the Internal Revenue Service it means that the hospital’s use of its profit, or any excess of revenues over expenses, must be used for the benefit of the hospital.

For-profit companies may use their profits to distribute monies to their owners or shareholders, and they can also reinvest that profit into the business. Non-profits only have the latter choice, that is, they must invest all profits into the business.

Here's a really good article that explains not-for-profit hospitals.

http://www.physiciansnews.com/busine...steinberg.html

for general information the Moffet Cancer Center is a non-profit organization and is very well thought of.Also -- www.moffitt.org will furnish add'l info.

Did you know the Leesburg Regional Medical Center got its start in 1955 when the Leesburg Chamber of Commerce started a fund drive that ultimately raised over $800,000 from the community.

This money helped form the Leesburg Hospital Association which opened the Leesburg General Hospital in 1963. Pretty amazing.

Great PR move!
 

My reaction after reading the article was what a great PR department The Villages has! They are asking the troops to gather, have parties for fund raisers, and it is a win for everyone. Everyone will have fun and feel that they are assisting in the new center. I am sure that the Morses have thought this through, and could finance this themselves, but this is a great move!

But we all know that The Villages has a great PR department!

Becky

It's Neighbors Helping Neighbors, and Building Community Pride
 

I'm appalled at some of the grumbling. Yes, the developer could afford to equip the new cancer center. But by having Villages residents JOIN TOGETHER (instead of just grumbling) to socialize and raise the money, residents will then have a personal interest in both the oncology facility AND the patients who are BLESSED to have such a place close by, during the worst LIFE STORM they've ever had.

Once people work to achieve something together, they have a common bond that will keep them coming back to volunteer, raise more funds for expansion, or simply to visit the center and take pride in what decent people can do IN HARMONY.

CARING is what it takes to fund and manage a facility like this, and the Morse family has indeed been caring. I can't even count the number of times a major donor has set up a Matching Funds program in which they match or double or triple what community donors give. It is motivating!

I smell class envy, and that is the poison that fractures a community instead of uniting it.

"Bitterness is a poison we swallow, hoping our enemy will die." (Unknown)

I am not sure if class envy is what is driving some of these posts, but I absolutely agree with you about about people working together for a "GOOD" cause! :BigApplause: and I do think that "good thoughts and actions" promote more "good thoughts and actions" ---- sort of like that old hair color commercial... and so on, and so on....

Thank You
 

Good to see that this thread is becoming more and more positive in nature.

There still needs to be input from the entire area that will be affected by this wonderful addition to the medical community, not just Villages residents. Then, they can also take pride in having been a part of making it a reality.

I agree. I don't know if this happens often or at all since we are not in TV YET... we will not be moving into our new home until Oct. 12 :a040:, but it would be great to involve "all" the surrounding communities in the fundraising effort!

This may already be happening -- there may be some joint effort going on. Since I am in VA still, it's hard to keep up.

Isn't the bottom line "we are ASKED" to join the effort? No one is holding a hammer over anyone's head. It's not a requirement that we will see in some sort of tax bill.

Gary Morse is quoted in the article "I committed to finance and construct the building, confident that our residents would come together and raise the money needed to buy the equipment. We didn't realize just how expensive either the special construction or special equipment would be."

Does anyone believe Morse and his band of accountants etc. had no idea how "expensive" this undertaking would be?

How can he be confident the residents would raise the money to buy the equipment and fund the special construction he allegedly didn't know the cost of?

Why is it that Morse is always in the wrong regardless of what he does? He didn't have to build or continue to build this place, but he did/does. Who do you suppose took/takes all the risk with that endeavor? He had absolutely no guarantee that people would come. It's called speculation. He didn't have to furnish the land for the new VA clinic, but he did. He didn't have to campaign to get Moffitt to expand here instead of somewhere else. Projects get underestimated everyday by many, many, many executives and bands of accountants. It happens. He could have taken his profits and run long ago, but he didn't. Why is that?

I didn't see anything in the paper or in your quote where he said anything about anyone else funding the construction part, just the equipment.

Please reread Russ Boston's post. That pretty much says it. No one is forced to move or stay here for that matter, either. No one is being forced to contribute one thing. Once again, it is a choice. Anybody that does not contribute will not be denied the services when it is up and running just because they didn't/couldn't.

If you find something better, better go for it. We're stayin' put.:beer3:

Simple question, do you believe he "didn't realize" the costs involved of the special construction or equipment prior to making the committment?

Just like the "poor" -- the conspiracy theorists will always be with us. People sure do hate success in others. We just bought a villa and will be snowbirds for a while, Have bought and built 7 homes and see very little to be exercised about in TV. Maybe we have too many people with so much time on their hands that they get pleasure out of looking for the worst in every situation-(Bonds,medical facilities etc,) I am not a pollyanna and have a good bit of experience in owning, financing, and developing RE. I think that we have a great situation in TV. I also think that we should stay dilligent and be involved in our own governance as much as possible.

If I'm not mistaken Joe Gorman, president of The Villages Property Owners Association, campaigned and campaigned hard to have the cancer center located in TV. The original plan was for a facility associated with Moffitt to be only in Leesburg. Thanks to Mr. Gorman and his group, the plan was changed for Moffitt to be associated with both locations.

http://www.poa4us.org/cancercenter.html

Gracie-
Eight years in the middle of my career working for a company that developed free standing cancer centers. They were all investor owned.

The simple question here is who owns the center; CFHA or Mr. Morse. One is not for profit and the other is for profit. Nothing wrong with either. I have asked CFHA for a clairfication.

Don't see the answer to that making any difference either way. Its still a personal choice....to give or not give.

Darn, the article wasn't in the online edition of the Daily Sun today. I'd love to know more about the project.