Health center begins fiscal year on good note

The Jefferson County Health Center had a good July to start its new fiscal year.

?July was a very good month,? chief financial officer Gene Irwin told the board of trustees Monday. ?It?s unusual for this kind of activity in July. ? About everything is above budget and above where it was at this time last year.?

In its budget for the new fiscal year, the health center had expected July to end at a negative $129,059, but instead, the month ended with a positive bottom line of $208,867 ? a 261.8 percent variance.

Jefferson County Health Center?s gross account receivable increased by $317,139 to $5,405,798 as of July 31. In addition, there is a physician clinic account receivable of $128,927 for a total gross account receivable of $5,534,725. Total allowances were $1,539,000 for a net account receivable of $3,995,725.

A total of 3,148 claims were filed in July, with a gross value of $2,601,694. Medicare collections for the month totaled $601,182. Medicaid collections for the month were $166,449. Total patient collections for July, including Medicare, Medicaid and physician clinic was $1,630,608.

?Collecting is going pretty good, but it?s hard to keep up for million-dollar months,? said Irwin. He explained department staff members had been away on vacation.