HEALTH CARE Harris Health pitches $2.5B bond for new hospital, service boosts in underserved areas
BY SHAWN ARRAJJ
INVESTING IN HARRIS COUNTY’S HEALTH A total of $2.9 billion worth of projects have been proposed for the Harris Health System, $2.5 billion of which may be covered by an upcoming bond. HHS o cials noted the $400 million not covered by the bond would be raised either through internal operational savings, cost savings or philanthropy. Proposed projects include:
expand, making the new LBJ Hospital critical as demand for health care services continues to rise. The system has been “chronically underfunded,” Porsa said, and the hospitals are nearing their end of useful life if improvements aren’t made. The details: If passed, work on the new LBJ Hospital would begin rst, located adjacent to the existing one. It would open in 2028. After that, work would begin on refurbishing the existing LBJ Hospital to provide other services, such as inpatient psychiatric care. During this timeframe, HHS would also invest $500 million in community clinics, including opening clinics in east, northwest and southwest Harris County. Quote of note: “Harris County is home to the largest number and highest rate of uninsured in the country. The need for our services is only going to grow,” Porsa said. “Do we address that in a timely, thoughtful fashion, or do we
O cials with the Harris Health System pitched a $2.5 billion bond proposal to Harris County commissioners at a June 6 meeting. The background: HHS owns and operates Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital and Ben Taub Hospital; it also operates 17 community-based clinics, a dental center, a chronic dialysis center and three outpatient specialty clinics countywide. The big picture: HHS President and CEO Dr. Esmaeil Porsa said under the proposed bond, a new 390-bed LBJ Hospital would open with the capacity to expand to 450 beds as needed. Porsa said plans also include earning a Level I trauma center designation for the new LBJ Hospital, which would bolster heart and stroke capabilities, and feature a helipad. The need: Porsa said HHS’s existing hospitals don’t have any capacity to
$1.6 billion toward the creation of the new LBJ Hospital $500 million toward improvements at existing community clinics and the opening of three new community clinics in underserved parts of the county $400 million toward improvements at the existing LBJ Hospital $400 million toward improvements at Ben Taub Hospital
SOURCE: HARRIS HEALTH SYSTEM COMMUNITY IMPACT
wait for the bottom to fall out?”
Over that time, the owner of a $300,000 house in Harris County would see their property taxes increase by less than $6 per month. Next steps: HHS o cials said if the commissioners court approve the bond to be placed on the ballot in August, Harris County voters will get a chance to either support or reject the referendum in November.
The takeaway: The total cost of the projects is estimated at $2.9 billion. The $400 million not covered by the bond would be raised either through internal operational savings, cost savings or philanthropy, Porsa said. If approved, the tax rate for the HHS would increase by an estimated 2 cents over the course of the bond.
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