[Whalen]

Originally Posted by Number 6

I think it was CFHA that did not want to build in the Villages. Their feasibility study only supported one facility and they wanted to locate it on the Leesburg campus, in spite of many of us complaining that it should be located where the patients are. While the equipment will be paid for through donations, they will still have the lease the building from the Developer. It is a very good deal for CFHA because the donated equipment represents $125-$150K in cash flow per month.
Now ask yourself, why did the Developer find it important to have a center at the Villages?

Bragging rights.
Looks good on resume.
"Major cancer center located in the Villages".

As to the locations of the centers many of us in the southern part of the Villages, Hemingway, Hadley, Buttonwood etc., are closer to the Leesburg campus.

[Russ_Boston]

Interesting discussion about the tax vote.

BUT

What was the bottome line result:

We not only have 1 CFHA 200 bed hospital (on site) but we have another proposed for the Brownwood area (200 bed on site). And that was done without a Sumter county tax burden.

We will have 1 new cancer center (albeit affliate) on site without a Sumter county tax burden.

TV becomes an even more desirable place because of this.

Maybe some of this 'push' seems to smell a little and everyone has the absolute right to question it but the bottom line somehow seems worth it. At least to me. As a health care professional I'd like to have it ALL including supporting multiple charity organizations. But if it is a choice between on site local care and fund raising efforts for national charities - I'll take the on site care facilties.

[Number 6]

So what you are saying is that the end justifies the means.

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by Number 6

So what you are saying is that the end justifies the means.

As long as the means don't 'mean' that we are taxed and any money is given freely then I'm OK with that. What I mean to say is that I don't feel that any laws are being broken here. As long as you are an informed donor then it is your choice. But please, as always, do your homework before giving money to any charity. I don't think anyone is trying to swindle any money. Many, many charities have backroom deals that, if known, might turn away prospective donors.

Try checking out this site: www.charitynavigator.org They rank almost every US charity. Moffitt only gets two stars (out of 4) but that is not bad when looking at some other more well known charities. The United Way of Mass only gets 2 out of 4 and everyone seems to trust them blindly.

Bottom line is that the money is donations. Give if you want. If an event's proceeds are going to Moffitt then protest by not going to the event. If enough people do it they'd get the hint. Money talks!

[prof_vi]

Hi!
Check out http://www.ocala.com/article/20100627/articles/6271008 and note the following:

Federal agencies are looking into the growing trend of physician groups utilizing an exemption in anti-kickback law to their advantage.

The Stark Law, created in the early 1990s, was designed to prevent doctors from self-referring patients for service. The in-office ancillary service exception was created so doctors could provide same-day services for efficient patient care.

This group of urologists and their practices are taking advantage of this "loophole" in order to get the most lucrative payments from Medicare and potentially subjecting their patients to radiation they do not need in order to make this profit. They are frightened of what Moffitt represents - objective, world-class treatments by a Cancer Center that is listed in the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as a comprehensive cancer center (the only one listed in the state of Florida). If I had a choice of hospitals, treatment centers, and doctors, I would go to Moffitt and not Boissoneault and their doctors who just want patients to undergo their extremely expensive treatment for prostate cancer.

I applaud the Morse family for not buying what Boissoneault is selling and instead getting us a facility that is world-class and will provide us the best care with the most convenience.

Best,
Vi

[Number 6]

I applaud the Morse family for not buying what Boissoneault is selling and instead getting us a facility that is world-class and will provide us the best care with the most convenience.

With exactly the same equipment that Boissoneault has. So if you don't want the expensive treatment, don't go to Moffitt. It appears that you will have to go to CFUS for that. Seriously, there is not one best way to treat any given cancer. If you are saying that the physicians at Boissoneault are performing unnecessary treatments, yoiu should first have some proof and then take that to the State Health Department.

Also Moffit will use the in office ancillary exemption provided by Stark. Most large practices do.

[ajakk]

I am surprised that no one has mentioned that the Mayo Clinic, yes the "WORLD" renowned Mayo Clinic, is now associated with the Robert Boissoneault Oncology Institute. Believe it or not, the RBOI was able to accomplish this without asking for donations. Check it out on their web site. I went to the open house on December 4 and was absolutely impressed with the facility and their fully paid for equipment. They are only seeing about half of the patients they could see so why donate to another facility just barely across the parking lot?

I too wondered what happens to all the money donated to the CFHA in the name of Moffitt if the money falls short. I emailed the public information officer, Michelle Foley, for Moffitt in Tampa and asked that same question. The reply was she did not know and would forward my email to the most appropriate person, no reply so far.

I feel donating is a personal issue and should not be forced on us as the Developer is trying to do. I also feel the real story of what is going on is yet to be heard, if at all.

In the meantime, take pride in the fact we already have a world class facility in TV.

[prof_vi]

Hi!
Boissoneault has used a loophole in a law that allows drs to do x-rays and ultrasounds in their own office. A group of 17 urologists have gotten together and created this facility to which they refer all their patients.


Prostate cancer patients make up 20 percent of Robert Boissoneault patients. But they bring in more than half the group's revenue, because Medicare reimbursement for their treatment is so relatively high. 20% of their patients are prostate cancer patients and they are 30% of the revenue.

The stats are that 30% of the prostate cancer patients are referred to Boissoneault who don't need this type of treatment - there are other options but the patients are not told of what those options are.

The Stark Law, created in the early 1990s, was designed to prevent doctors from self-referring patients for service. The in-office ancillary service exception was created so doctors could provide same-day services for efficient patient care....MedPac, or the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, noted in a study this month that ancillary service volumes are growing rapidly, contributing to the growing cost of Medicare....Radiation therapy volumes increased by nearly 8 percent each year from 2003 to 2008. Specialists other than radiation oncologists raked in $104 million in Medicare payments for radiation therapy in 2008, an 84 percent increase from 2003.

Moffitt is an NCI-recognized Cancer Center - the only one in FLorida. They can provide a more patient-centered type of care that is based on the type of cancer and the best treatment - not just a linear accelerator.

You can find this info by Googling - Boissoneault Disagreeing Doctors. I had to find out more because of the ads that Boissoneault was putting in the paper. I am not a champion of the Morse family but in this case I applaud them for making the better choice and not buying what Boissoneault is selling.

[Russ_Boston]

This is now ludicrous. Bye!

[prof_vi]

Hi!
You said "I am surprised that no one has mentioned that the Mayo Clinic, yes the "WORLD" renowned Mayo Clinic, is now associated with the Robert Boissoneault Oncology Institute. Believe it or not, the RBOI was able to accomplish this without asking for donations. Check it out on their web site. I went to the open house on December 4 and was absolutely impressed with the facility and their fully paid for equipment. They are only seeing about half of the patients they could see so why donate to another facility just barely across the parking lot?"

What website are you mentioning? I found it on the Boissoneault Oncology Institue website. I think it is great that they are now availing themselves of an affiliation with the Mayo. It will only be great for cancer patients in the surrounding Central FL area. However, it is interesting that it is only now when Moffitt is becoming a reality that they have sought out the affiliation when their income stream may be under stress in a year. Personally I think the negative ads from BOI are awful and not a good reflection on BOI. They should stop them and concentrate on treating their patients.

The equipment that BOI has purchased has been paid for by patients one way or the other! In this case, Medicare has paid for most of it. In order to fast track Moffitt in TV, we are being asked for donations - they are not demanding it but asking. And the developer is donating the building. When patients go to Moffitt, they won't be asked if they donated and they won't be turned away if they didn't donate.

Best to all and health in the New Year,
Vi

[Number 6]

And the developer is donating the building

No, he is building the building to be leased to CFHA.

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by Number 6

No, he is building the building to be leased to CFHA.

Yep, doing what business men do every day. If it fails they have an empty building. If it works he gets richer.

[Xavier]

Originally Posted by Number 6

No, he is building the building to be leased to CFHA.

Number 6:

Way off topic, but ... what is it that you are doing that is taking the name of the person that is being quoted off your responses? We have to go back and find the original post so that we know WHO you are referring to. Is that the way they do it in Pine City?!

Xavier

[bike42]

Originally Posted by prof_vi

Hi!
Boissoneault has used a loophole in a law that allows drs to do x-rays and ultrasounds in their own office.

Read the article -- very enlightening:
http://www.ocala.com/article/20100627/articles/6271008

[Indydealmaker]

Originally Posted by Xavier

Number 6:

Way off topic, but ... what is it that you are doing that is taking the name of the person that is being quoted off your responses? We have to go back and find the original post so that we know WHO you are referring to. Is that the way they do it in Pine City?!

Xavier

It appears that the original poster's name does not show up when only a portion of the post is copied.