Moses Lake Clinic may become non-profit

Organization ponders change to avoid losing Medicaid patients

COLUMBIA BASIN - Wenatchee Valley Medical Center and its satellite clinics could change ownership from physician-owned to not-for-profit.

"This is one of our strategies that we're looking at, in case the physician-owned legislation passes," said Medical Center CEO and Board President David Weber.

The proposed legislation, included in a Senate bill, prohibits physician-owned facilities from receiving Medicare and Medicaid payments, Weber said.

Wenatchee Valley Medical Center operates Moses Lake Clinic and Royal City Clinic.

If the legislation passes, the medical center will have 18 months to make the transition. A decision has not been made on whether to make the center not-for-profit, Weber said.

"We're going to wait and see what happens with the Medicare bill, and we'll at that point make a decision," Weber said.

The center serves 41 percent Medicare patients and 12 percent Medicaid patients.

Weber believes Wenatchee Valley Medical Center is not the type of facility the legislation seeks to impact. In the past, specialty physician-owned facilities have been the focus, he said.

Wenatchee Valley Medical Center, in operation since 1940, has always been owned by physicians, Weber said. Of the approximately 180 physicians working for the center, 152 are stockholders.

He believes the center can stay in business, even if the legislation passes. The goal is to keep all of the clinics in operation.

"I think we will survive," Weber said. "Frankly, I think we have to survive."

Congressman Doc Hastings, R-4th District, spoke to the Moses Lake Rotary Club Nov. 28 about the proposed legislation.

Hastings urged citizens to get in touch with their local senator representation to express concerns over the proposed provision. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., can be contacted at 509-453-7462. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., can be contacted at 509-353-2507.