Sports: Chiefs escape Charger upset bid See B1
THE IOLA REGISTER Locally owned since 1867
www.iolaregister.com
Monday, December 14, 2015
Emotions abound as former colleagues gather Christmas party gives chance for Iola Nursing Center staff to say goodbye By RICHARD LUKEN The Iola Register
COLONY — Bittersweet wasn’t close to covering the emotions that flooded the Colony City Hall community room Saturday. Dozens of former Iola Nursing Center employees gathered for a potluck Christmas party, the first time many had seen each other since the nursing home and residential care facility suddenly closed its doors Nov. 13. Also invited to the “uncompany” holiday party, was this reporter. “We just thought it’d be nice for the community to hear our side of the story,” said Pat Clay, who worked at INC for five years as a certified nurses aide and certified medical assistant. “We loved our residents. We loved our jobs.” Among the hugs and tears
At left, Lois Ruby, right, a 30-year employee at Iola Nursing Center, gets a hug from her former Colleague Crystal Lyda Saturday at a gathering of former INC employees. Above, former INC bookkeeper Randy Latta shows off his plaque after working at the home for 40 years. Saturday’s gathering of former colleagues was a bittersweet event. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN was some laughter, if only because many of the 50-plus who gathered had become longtime friends through their jobs. The affection shared among the attendees also stood in sharp contrast to the bitter feelings many still carry toward the facility’s current and former owners, who gave employees and residents just
three days’ notice that it was closing. Iola Nursing Center was under the management of Walnut Creek Management, also known as Tutera Group, until it was bought out by Americare in early November. As part of the deal, the facility was acquired by a Topeka bank, and many of the
patients’ contracts purchased by Americare. “Americare was supposed to have first bids on the residents that they hand-selected,” said one former employee, who asked to not be identified. (Specifics of the employee’s allegations were confirmed through interviews with other former employees.)
“Yes, I said the word ‘bids,’” the employee continued. “In reality, that is what the undignified end came to. They rounded them up like a herd of cattle and auctioned them off.” The most damning allegation came with the handling of one particular resident See GOODBYE | Page A4
Crunch time again for health care law WASHINGTON (AP) — Rising premiums and shaken faith among insurers have cast a cloud over sign-up season for President Barack Obama’s health care law, and now it’s crunch time again. Tuesday is the deadline for millions of uninsured procrastinators to sign up in time for coverage to begin on Jan. 1. As the health insurance expansion enters its third year, their decisions are critical to its economic viability. A surge of younger, healthier customers could hold down premiums in a market that’s struggling to grow. “Medical costs of enrollees have been higher than expected and total enrollment remains low,” said Caroline Pearson, a vice president at the consulting firm Avalere Health. “If participation is leveling off, then plans may be stuck with a risk pool that is not particularly balanced.” More than half of the health law’s 23 nonprofit insurance cooperatives have folded, and even some major industry players have recently gone public with doubts. There have been bumps with the health law, says business owner Rayna Collins of Lincoln, Nebraska, but overall she counts on it. She’s surprised, however, that many people she knows have remained uninsured. “It’s heartbreaking to
think that they could have affordable insurance,” said Collins. “They think it’s like going on welfare.” One friend believed incorrectly that insurers could still turn down customers with pre-existing health conditions, a practice barred under the law. Collins, a graphic designer, has had to make adjustments. She switched insurers for 2016 because the company she was with left the market. Her premium will be about the same, after subsidies the law provides for private coverage. But her deductible will spike from $500 to $2600. “I’m getting less coverage for about the same, and I’m not happy with that,” Collins said. “But I don’t know what I would do if I weren’t getting the government subsidy. I was already being priced out of health insurance before Obamacare.” The coverage allows her to get regular preventive care that’s important for people like her, in their early 60s. The Obama administration says it’s seeing a vigorous consumer response this sign-up season, with more than 1 million new customers already. “All the evidence for us is that the marketplace is strong, it’s vibrant, and it’s growing,” said Andy Slavitt, head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which runs the
Block party players
Above, Brenda Clark plays a medley of Christmas songs on her guitar Friday at the Second Chance Thrift Store as part of the downtown merchants’ Holiday Block Party in downtown Iola. Below at left, Iola native Maggie Wilson, right, was joined by Iola youth Josie Plumlee as she played for passing shoppers along East Madison Avenue. Below at right, a group of shoppers make their way along the street. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
See ACA | Page A4
Quote of the day Vol. 118, No. 34
“Each person must live their life as a model for others.”
— Rosa Parks
75 Cents
Hi: 51 Lo: 38 Iola, KS