Coalition to continue hospital negotiations

Monday, Feb. 4, 2002 | 9:51 a.m.

A coalition of firefighters, police officers, Culinary members, teachers and construction workers expects to return to the bargaining table Tuesday to try to hammer out deals for hospitalization coverage at five area hospitals.

Tentative deals were reached Thursday with three hospitals in the Valley Health System chain and two St. Rose Dominican Hospital campuses in Henderson. The agreements call for three-year deals with a less than 10 percent increase over the previous contract, Las Vegas Fire Capt. Rusty McAllister, a coalition spokesman, said.

McAllister said the tentative deals ensure there would be no interruption of services.

"We're relieved to a certain extent," he said Friday. "But we still have a long way to go with the other hospitals."

The coalition, which represents 140,000 workers and their 180,000 dependents, said the hospitals were seeking up to 20 percent increases in premiums and a one-year contract.

Hospital representatives argued that the rising costs of supplies and utilities necessitated the price increases. Under a legislative price cap that expired in 1999, private Southern Nevada hospitals had been prohibited since 1991 from raising their rates beyond the medical portion of the consumer price index.

The contract talks, which had dragged on for more than six months, were at a standstill late last week, with the existing contract set to expire Friday. Gov. Kenny Guinn stepped in to the negotiations Thursday, helping hammer out the deals with Valley Health and St. Rose.

Weeklong extensions were granted at the five remaining hospitals, including University Medical Center and Sunrise Hospital, so that talks could continue.

Valley Health System, which operates Valley, Summerlin and Desert Springs hospitals, plans to put the new rates into effect immediately, a spokesman said. St. Rose officials couldn't be reached for comment.

The five medical facilities negotiating with the coalition are: University Medical Center, Sunrise Hospital, MountainView Hospital, Lake Mead Hospital and Boulder City Hospital.