LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) – Next week, the Nebraska Regents will consider a proposal in which Clarkson Regional Health Services would give up its 50% membership in Nebraska Medicine.<\/p>\n
The deal would give full control of the health system to the University of Nebraska. <\/p>\n
The university would pay $500 million for Clarkson\u2019s stake. Clarkson would also sell its land and buildings to the university for an additional $300 million.<\/p>\n
But Nebraska Medicine told First Alert 6 that they plan to fight it, calling the move a \u201cstate takeover\u201d of a private nonprofit health system.<\/p>\n
Nebraska Medicine responds<\/p>\n
In a news release issued Friday night, Nebraska Medicine said the regents are negotiating the deal \u201cwithout Nebraska Medicine\u2019s input or approval,\u201d which is \u201ccontrary to the joint operating agreement between the Members and Nebraska Medicine.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nebraska Medicine said its governing documents \u201cexplicitly require approval of the Nebraska Medicine Board before these types of changes\u201d are made.<\/p>\n
\u201cNebraska Medicine\u2019s partnership model with the University and Clarkson has been in place since 1997 and has enabled extraordinary results for patients, doctors, nurses, colleagues and Nebraska communities,\u201d Friday\u2019s release states. <\/p>\n
Nebraska Medicine says the deal represents a misallocation of funds, a loss autonomy, inappropriate expansion, enhanced recruitment risks, and an undermining of independent medical care and public trust.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecoming a state-controlled health system is totally unnecessary and is not in the best interest of our patients, our clinical experts and health care in Nebraska, and we are pursuing all actions necessary to prevent a state takeover of Nebraska Medicine,\u201d said Lance Fritz<\/a>, chairman of the Nebraska Medicine Board of Directors. \u201c…Our current governance is working well, and the Board of Regents\u2019 proposed takeover poses significant threats to the future of health care in Nebraska.\u201d<\/p>\n Nebraska Medicine\u2019s vice chairman, Mogens Bay, said its \u201cleaders have tried to work closely\u201d with Dr. Jeffrey Gold, president of the NU system, as well as the regents and Clarkson leaders, in hopes of finding a way to \u201cpreserve Nebraska Medicine\u2019s independence and protect the legacy of care that has been built over the last three decades.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cThe University is in a budget crisis, and the Regents are now voluntarily proposing to spend nearly a billion dollars in taxpayer money at a time when they are actively making cuts across their campuses,\u201d he said in Friday\u2019s news release.<\/p>\n Donation & new focus<\/p>\n As part of the proposed transaction, Clarkson would also donate $200 million to the University of Nebraska.<\/p>\n After the transaction, Clarkson would focus more on its philanthropic efforts through what it calls the \u201cClarkson Institute.\u201d<\/p>\n Officials say patients wouldn\u2019t need to worry about any changes in Nebraska Medicine\u2019s day-to-day operations.<\/p>\n Meeting information<\/p>\n