HomeMy WebLinkAbout04292024 City Council Work Session Laydown - FinanceAPRIL 29 WORK SESSION
THROUGH SULLY JUSINO, FINANCE DIRECTOR
Providence Health & Services
240429 City Council WS Laydown - Finance
WORK SESSION - PROVIDENCE
The City of Seward (City) is the owner of the local hospital and long-term care facility (PSMCC),
which are managed by Providence Health & Services (PH &S) under a management agreement
with the City. It's crucial to note that the City bears the financial responsibility for the operations
of these health facilities.
WORK SESSION - PROVIDENCE
The COS issued bonds for the construction of Mountain Haven in 2008. They refinanced most of
the debt in 2016, resulting in a $1.46 million principal and interest payment broken out into two
semi-annual payments of interest (due February) and principal and interest (due August),
maturing in 2033.
WORK SESSION - PROVIDENCE
Providence Health & Services (PH & S) provides a monthly payment based on their patient
revenues. This payment is primarily allocated for debt service. However, in cases where patient
numbers are insufficient, a gap for debt service arises. This is where the 1% sales tax dedicated to
healthcare comes into play, covering this gap. It's important to note that any surplus beyond
patient revenue and the 1% sales tax is intended to address capital needs.
WORK SESSION - PROVIDENCE
The patient revenue calculation is based on the capital add-on component of the revenues from
the long-term care facility. This currently amounts to $240.07 per patient day. The City
proactively utilizes 100% of these receipts to cover debt service payments at Seward Mountain
Haven (SMH). The annual debt service payments on Seward Mountain Haven are approximately
$1.97 million. (Res.2012-099).
In a strategic move, in the event that Providence cannot meet the census number and make the
complete payment, the city is allocating 1% of the sales tax to the Mountain Heaven Fund to cover
any potential shortfall, ensuring the financial stability of the healthcare facilities.
WORK SESSION - PROVIDENCE
As of 4/26/2024, the city had received $23,708,112.77 from Providence for the bond payment, of
which $13.2M is an excess of the bond payments.
The city makes all the LTC bond payments. The Mountain Haven bond is in the City’s name, and we
make the bond payments; Providence does not.
The Borough is responsible for collecting the full 7% of the sales tax. On a monthly basis, the
Borough remits payment of our 4% of the sales tax via check. We then transfer one-quarter of the
received funds to the Healthcare Fund monthly. It's important to note that this transfer does not
appear as revenue or expense in either fund; it is simply a cash transfer from the General Fund to
the Healthcare Fund.
WORK SESSION - PROVIDENCE
The debt repayment schedule on the SMH bonds was meticulously designed to allow for a build-
up of reserves in the debt service reserve fund (Fund) in the initial years of the facility's
operations. This strategic approach was employed to ensure the City has sufficient cash in the
Fund to pay debt service payments when due and to prevent capital reimbursement-related
revenues from being used to cover operating costs, thereby safeguarding against insufficient
funds to meet bond payments in later years.
As of 4/26/24, the Health Care Fund has $2.6M in cash, and the Mountain Heaven Fund has
$13.3M.
WORK SESSION - PROVIDENCE
Currently, the Mountain Haven fund has $13.3 million on our books to cover future bond payments,
with a $12.3 million balance on the bond remaining.
The building has been depreciated over 17 years, which was done intentionally in case the State
changed its method of cost-based reimbursement. The administration then chose to shorten the
depreciation length to receive maximum reimbursement upfront.
WORK SESSION - PROVIDENCE
Once the building is depreciated (2025), the amount Providence will receive from Medicaid will
reduce significantly, so having a pot of money available is important to make the remaining bond
payments. After 2025, there will be 8 years left of debt service, which is roughly $1.5 million per
year with principal and interest; the City/Providence will need to have roughly $12 million to cover
the remaining bond payments.
We recommend retiring the debt early in February 2026, for a total of $10.2M taking any excess
from the bond and utilizing it to make the capital contribution.