Officials: De Queen hospital owner delinquent on taxes; operator owes in seven states

[TexasTowelie]

More than $117,000 in back real estate and property taxes are owed on De Queen Medical Center, part of almost $2 million in similar taxes owed by company-operated hospitals across seven states.

The struggling hospital recently came under investigation by labor regulators because of late payroll checks and claims of unpaid insurance premiums and taxes on employees' behalf. It is in delinquent status for tax years 2016 and 2017, and on Friday it owed $117,519.12 in taxes, with interest accruing daily, according to the Sevier County tax collector's office.

The unpaid bill is part of a pattern seen at other facilities run by Missouri-based ownership group EmpowerHMS.

According to representatives in the tax collector's, treasurer's or trustee's offices in Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee and Florida, nine EmpowerHMS-affiliated hospitals are in delinquent tax status, owing at least $1,771,638 in real estate and property taxes. The number isn't exact because of interest, as well as variances in the how parcels are assessed by local governments.

Read more: http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/texarkana/story/2019/jan/21/officials-de-queen-hospital-owner-delinquent-taxes-operator-owes-seven-states/762082/

[House of Roberts]

1. Sounds like a pump and dump operation.

Suck out all the cash you can, pump it full of debt, and dump it all on the creditors.

Just like Bain Capital.

[TexasTowelie]

2. Something similar happened at the rural hospital where my brother worked.

I searched on the owner's name and saw that he was pulling this crap for nearly 20 years from coast-to-coast.

My advice to any employees is that if they get more than 2 weeks behind on their paychecks, then start looking for another job. Some of the employees at the hospital where my brother worked are owed five-figure amounts for unpaid wages. I believe that the maximum an employee can receive for unpaid wages is about $15,000 (it's adjusted for inflation). While there may be some advantage to wait longer for states that have generous unemployment benefits, if you are in one of the less generous states then there is no reason to work and not be paid.

My advice to vendors is to offer any credit and only accept cash or direct transfers since there is good chance the checks will bounce.

[sinkingfeeling]

3. The joy of for profit healthcare. I'm old enough to remember when

there were county and city owned hospitals.