Commissioners table decision on new Nueces County health care provider

Nueces County Commissioners voted at Wednesday’s meeting to table a decision to choose a new health care provider that would require the county to split with the City of Corpus Christi in offering public health services.

The commissioners voted 3 to 2 in favor of extending discussions for another four months regarding a potential contract with Amistad Community Health Center, a nonprofit organization with a health care facility in Robstown, to provide health services to rural residents in outlying areas.

Commissioners had questions about the cost of delivering services, as well as the risk of losing state grants from the Texas Department of Health and Human Services.

Talks would resume again in December to provide time to negotiate and determine a way forward before the start of the new year.

The city and county have been discussing a health services agreement with Amistad Community Health Center since meetings held late last year. Among other services, the contract would include costs to renovate the Calderon building at 710 E. Main Ave., Suite A, in Robstown, to improve access to public health services for residents of rural areas and surrounding counties, who have traditionally faced transportation challenges to access clinical and public health care services in Nueces County.

Through a 5-year initial contract, Nueces County would agree to pay the company about $1.7 million to provide public health services at the Robstown location, including immunizations, screenings for diabetes and high blood pressure, screening and reporting for Sexually Transmitted Infections and tuberculosis, nutritional counseling and mental health screening.

The health care company would also perform health education promotion and prevention services in areas including oral health, chronic disease prevention and vaccine education.

In addition to providing office space for the company to offer services during regular business hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, Nueces County would facilitate use of the County Mobile Public Health Unit to extend outreach and services for at least 4 hours at least one day a week.

But the contract would signify a shift away from Corpus Christi’s legacy business model and impact how residents of the city and county access health services.

City Manager Peter Zanoni, who attended the meeting to appeal to the court, citing the two organization’s decades-long partnership, noted that splitting the departments could put as many as 21 current jobs at stake when the city presents its budget next Tuesday. He requested a 1-year extension to provide ample opportunities for participants on both sides to develop a new business model.

“We’re here today to say we don’t think we’re ready,” he said. “It’s very complex to separate the models in terms of making sure both sides are ready to provide service in a new way different than what we’ve been doing in the last 30 years.

“We think it would be advisable to at least give one more year in the current working model to give both sides ample opportunity to develop that new business model.”

Precinct 2 Commissioner Joe Gonzalez, who submitted the item at a meeting last December and vocalized his support at Wednesday’s meeting, stressed the need to provide health services to poor and uninsured members of the community who live outside of Nueces County, reminding attendees that the county pays for health services provided by the city in Nueces County.

“We all voted to go get a contract, we all voted to go get primary care,” he said. “I don’t think it’s fair for the community in the western area of Nueces County that can’t get served and can’t come into the health district to be left out again.”

Following pushback from several other commissioners who were concerned about being locked into a 5-year contract, Gonzalez motioned to reduce it to a 3-year term, eventually rescinding that motion to agree to a proposal put forth by County Judge Connie Scott for a 1-year contract with options for two additional years, as she originally supported.

“I just worry — and I know we’ve all been thinking of ways to utilize this building — the additional charges and additional things we’re finding out that are going to cost the county with our separation thing is a little concerning to me as far as what the actual cost will be,” she said. “There are many other facets of this separation that will create departments and people and employees that I’m afraid the county’s not ready for.”

Precinct 4 Commissioner Brent Chesney expressed concern that the total cost for services, including building renovation, administration and personnel, is much more than anticipated and would burden taxpayers and limit the ability to give money back to the hospital district.

He said extra time would allow the county judge, county attorney and city delegation to work together to either prepare to separate or work out a long-term deal with specific instructions for improving the health district’s presence and services outside the jurisdiction of Nueces County.

Precinct 3 Commissioner John Marez said he supported something shorter than a 1-year contract to continue engagement with the city and look at opportunities for collaboration between the city and county health departments, as well as a potential partnership with Amistad.

“We, in the end, have always tried to focus on county services, those that have been underserved, and I think that is what is being proposed here today,” he said. “It’s the biggest issue that affects me and my constituents, who are out in Robstown.

“I feel like we have to do our due diligence in finding out what does that look like for all taxpayers, because we’re all impacted by this,” he said. “And you’ve loudly heard the concern about services to rural parts of the community. That has to be continued. We have to honor this because it’s a desperate need.”

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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Commissioners table decision on new Nueces County health care provider