DALLAS - Voters in Arizona's Maricopa County would be asked in November to approve a $935 million bond package to revamp the public hospital system under a citizens bond committee proposal.
The 15-member Maricopa County Special Health Care District Bond Advisory Committee's final report won unanimous approval Feb. 12. The report goes to the Maricopa Integrated Health System, which operates public healthcare facilities in Arizona's largest county, which includes Phoenix.
"It is evident that a significant capital investment is required for MIHS to fulfill its mission and provide a valuable essential asset to the Metropolitan Phoenix community," the report said.
The health district's five-member board of directors must now decide which recommendations to approve and determine the size of the bond package that would go to voters.
Hospital executives proposed a $950 million bond issue in July 2012, but the board of directors rejected the proposal, saying it needed hearings by a citizens group. The board appointed members to the committee last year.
The committee's report said the need for changes in facilities and treatment paradigms are urgent with the advent of the federal Affordable Care Act and the shift in orientation from a "sick care system" to a "health care system.
"The U.S. healthcare system continues to evolve quickly, impacting the way health systems are expected to deliver care and will be reimbursed in the future," the report said. "While it is difficult to know exactly what will happen to the industry over the next five to ten years, there are some trends that are fairly robust and suggest a potential direction."
