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CEDC" S C to hlre
grant writer for city
BENTON HARBOR-The Communi Economic Develop­
ment Corporation (CEDC), Cityof Benton Harbor and the South­
western Michigan Commission (SW�C) have entered into a
cooperative venture to provide assistance to the city in obtaining
state and federal funds.
According to Benton Harbor Mayor William Wolf, "At one time
the 'city had a full staff of individuals who job was to seek out,
apply for and manage state and federal funds. Today, our key staff
members are too involved in de ling with the issues confronting the
city on a day-to-day basis to spend the time nece ary to stay on top
of available programs. We've missed many opportunities to bring
funds for necessary programs into the city as a result.
The partnership will use funds- from the CEDC and the City,
supplemented by SWMC memes, to fund the activities of a grant
writer dedicated to the City of Benton Harbor This individual will
seek out funding sources, write applications, provide follow
through and, where appropriate, administer projects that may be
awarded to the city. .
According to CEDC Chairman of the Board Merlin Hanson,
the project targets are, "business expansion and retention, in­
frastructure development, commercial development, housing,
waterfront recreation development, and police and fire protection
... all critical to the revitalization of Benton Harbor."
The Mayor did not indicate the working site for the grant writer;
what portion of the per on's sal ry the city would pick up; whether
there were any oversight guides in place for supervi ion of the; grant
writer; or to whom the person would answer.
Mercy
Memorial
raise rates
ST. JOSEPH-- The Board of
Directors of Mercy Memorial
Center recently approved a four
and one half percent increase in
roomrates,saidJosephA. Was­
serman, Mercy Memorial Pr si­
dent.
The increase is necessary
primarily to offset inadequate
Medicare and Medicaid reim­
bur ement and increased
operations cost due to inflation,
Wasserman said.
The price increase raised the
daily co t for semi-private acute
care rooms in the hospital's St.
Joseph and Benton Harbor
facilities from $276 to $288, ef­
fective October 1. he Board
voted the increase a its regular
. meeting, Septembe� 26.
"Even with this increase,
Mercy Memorial charges fall
11 % below state average ,"
Wasserman said. "Our charges
per stay are also 16.9% less than
state averages. 7
Wasserman said that limited
reimbursements by Medicaid
and Medicare will reduce the
hospital's net revenues to less
than needed to keep up with the
rising cost , even with the in­
creased room rates.
Medicaid is increasing reim­
bursement levels by 2%, but the
increase does not take affect
until April 1, resulting in only a.
1 % increase for fiscal 1990,
Wassennan said.
Wasserman said Mercy
Memorial was reimbur ed an
average only 84% on each dol­
lar of cost to provide in-patient
care for medicaid patients in fis-
cal 1989.
In addition, Medicaid's
scheduled fee reimbursements
for hospitals.
"Total hortfall on Medi id
reimbursements for Mer:cy
Memorial in fiscal year 1989
were aout $3 million," Wasser­
man said. "In effect this shortfall
is a hidden tax, because it must
be spread 0 er other payers, in-
cluding commerical insurance
companies and indivduals.
Adequate reimbursements
from Medicaid and Medicare
would mean Lower price in­
crea e ."
ercy plans'
class for
potential
parents
Mercy Memorial Medical
center is offering a cia for
couples who are considering
becoming parents. The class is
entitiled, "Preconceived No­
tions: Things ·to Think About
Before You Have a Baby." It is
scheduled for Wednesday,
Novemb r 8, 7-9 p.m. in the .
Family Birthing Center con­
ference room, Mercy Memorial
Medical Center, 1234 Napier,
St. Jo eph.
Certified Childbirth Instruc­
tor ue Reschke, RN., wiU lead
the c1as which covers topics
such as preparing th body for
pregnancy, nutrition, and co -
siderations of lifestyle chan s
parenthood brings.
Dr. Jin Jyung, OB/GY will
discuss biological timing for
uccessful conception, and
when to seek infertility and
genetics counseling.