Latest news with #TaylorHospital
CBS News
5 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Former Crozer Health system employees struggle to access unemployment benefits
More than a month after the Crozer Health system collapsed, some laid-off employees are struggling to get the unemployment benefits they're entitled to. Michael Winston, a former Crozer janitor, said he has applied for unemployment benefits several times, but keeps getting denied. "They rejected a lot of people," Winston said. "Everybody that I've talked to, that filed for unemployment…nobody has got an answer." A total of 2,651 employees were laid off when Taylor Hospital shut down on April 26 and Crozer Chester Medical Center permanently closed on May 2. Julia Simon-Mishel, supervising attorney at Philadelphia Legal Assistance, said many people face challenges when trying to access unemployment benefits. "The largest percentage of workers who come to see us there are struggling to get access to an online account," Simon-Mishel said. "They are struggling to set up a username and password, to recover their username and password, to do identity authentication in order to get access to the online portal." Simon-Mishel co-hosted a webinar Thursday night to help former Crozer employees overcome some of those barriers. Her organization offers free legal services year-round. "In today's unemployment system, there are a lot of additional requirements for continuing eligibility, and that can trip people up, and that can cause folks to get disqualified along the way or hold up payments," Simon-Mishel said. Those payments are crucial for many families to make ends meet. Winston, a father of 11, said he'll continue to wait. "We need that unemployment to get us through, pay our bills, mortgages and stuff like that," Winston said. Lee Scoratow, attorney for Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania, said getting started can be the hardest part. "If people were never familiar and never contemplating applying for unemployment in their lives, then it could be quite a daunting process," Lee Scoratow, attorney for Legal Aid of Southeastern PA, said. Steps to gain unemployment compensation Here are the next steps for people who are facing issues with unemployment compensation:
CBS News
15-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Watch live: Gov. Josh Shapiro to speak about private equity after Crozer Health hospital closures
In the wake of the closures of Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, state leaders are pushing to limit private equity companies' influence on health care in the state. The two hospitals closed in recent weeks after their owner, Prospect Medical Holdings, declared bankruptcy. Multiple infusions of cash from the state, county and local health systems kept the hospitals open a little longer, but ultimately, Crozer-Chester's last day open was May 2, and Taylor Hospital closed April 26. Prospect was the focus of a CBS News investigation detailing how private equity investors siphoned hundreds of millions of dollars from community hospitals. The company was controlled from 2010 to 2021 by private equity firm Leonard Green & Partners, which held a majority stake. Gov. Josh Shapiro will speak at a news conference about private equity in health care in the wake of the hospital closures. The press conference is set to begin between 10:45 and 11 a.m. You can watch live in the player above, on CBS Philadelphia's YouTube channel, or wherever else CBS News Philadelphia is streaming. In the news conference, the Democratic governor may address bills in the state legislature, including the House's Health System Protection Act, which would allow the Pennsylvania Attorney General and Department of Health to review transactions to purchase hospitals before they go through. The bill from Democratic Rep. Lisa Borowski, who represents Delco, would also prohibit leaseback agreements by private equity firms, a subject of a suit filed last year by former Attorney General Michelle Henry. The suit alleged Prospect sold its hospital properties and then began paying $35 million in rent to Medical Properties Trust. Leaseback transactions "pad investor dividends while burdening patients, employees, their families, and the broader community," Henry's office said in 2024. Prospect had called the suit "hasty" and "completely unnecessary." This is a developing story and will be updated.
CBS News
05-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
This Pennsylvania business is helping Crozer Health employees who lost their jobs with care packages
Sadness and disappointment marked the end of Delaware County's largest health care system, which collapsed amid bankruptcy. A business in Collingdale is now stepping up to help the 2,600 employees who lost their jobs when Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital shut down. Justin West, co-owner of Bulk Foods Delco, a subsidiary of What a Crock, is spearheading the initiative. His employees are assembling care packages containing 10 pounds of chicken, three pounds of frozen hash browns, three pounds of curly fries, two pounds of Jimmy Dean sausage, frozen onion rings and pasta. "I had an opportunity here that fit with my business and allowed me to support the people that have literally taken care of us for the last 50 years or so," West said. About 300 former Crozer employees have signed up to pick up the free food, including emergency department nurse Caroline Tyson. "[I'm] so grateful and it's so awesome that he's helping so many people that are in need that just lost their jobs less than two weeks ago," Tyson said. With a 1-year-old baby at home, Tyson said the gift will nourish her family as she tries to get back on her feet. "Now we're just a one-income household, which is fun, and the job search will continue," Tyson said. West said so far, the community has donated $13,000 to support this effort, which has been fueled by social media. His fundraising goal is $24,000. "A couple contributions from some great local companies, but most of that money has come from local, just regular folks in Delco," West said. Another business that is showing support for former Crozer Health employees is Dolan's Bar in Ridley Park. The owner, PJ Dolan, is hosting a goodbye party with free food and drinks for Taylor Hospital employees on Saturday, May 24 from 5-7 p.m. The goodbye party at Dolan's will take place following an annual fundraiser called Wiffleball Mania from 2-5 p.m. The fundraiser benefits the Darren Daulton Foundation, which provides grants to families affected by malignant brain tumors. Wiffleball Mania is sponsored by former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce's Garage Beer and current Eagles player Cam Jurgens' Jurgy Beef Jerky. After Crozer Health's bankrupt parent company, Prospect Medical Holdings, failed to respond to Dolan's request to sponsor the goodbye party, several local businesses offered to help. Keystone Quality Transport was the biggest donor, Dolan said. What a Crock, Wolf's Superior Sandwiches, Visit Delco, Delco Live podcast and Delco Steaks also stepped up as sponsors. "It's what Delco does best — come together for others in times of need," Dolan said.
Axios
23-04-2025
- Health
- Axios
Crozer Health closure leaves major health care gap in Philly suburbs
The largest health system in Delaware County began closing two hospitals Wednesday after failing to find a buyer amid bankruptcy proceedings. Why it matters: Crozer Health's shutdown will lead to thousands of layoffs and a major shakeup for health care across the region. State of play: Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park and Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland are slated to shutter in May, per a bankruptcy plan approved by a federal judge in Texas on Tuesday. Prospect Medical Holdings, the California-based private company that owns Crozer Health, is winding down services and transferring patients. Crozer will lay off 2,651 employees. By the numbers: Taylor Hospital and Crozer-Chester took in more than 78,000 emergency room visits combined annually, per the company's website. They also treated a combined 54,000 inpatients and outpatients a year. What they're saying: The decision is "going to devastate our entire community," Peggy Malone, union president for Crozer-Chester Nurses Association, told WHYY. The other side: Prospect Medical's chief restructuring officer Paul Rundell said in a statement the company "recognizes the impact this action will have on patients as well as team members" but it was "unable to reach a viable alternative." The big picture: The closures will force patients to seek care at nearby hospitals, including Riddle Hospital in Media, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in Philly, and Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital in Darby. That will tack on 30-40 minutes of extra travel time to get care for some patients, per FOX29. Many of these providers say they're already seeing a surge of new patients. Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic's Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital and St. Francis Hospital in Delaware have seen patient volume tick up over the past two months, the hospitals' president, Marlow Levy, told the Philadelphia Business Journal. Riddle Memorial Hospital is expecting an influx of patients in its emergency department, the center's president, Shelly Buck, told Chief Healthcare Executive. Catch up quick: Prospect Medical Holdings filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January. Earlier this week, the company said it would close the hospitals after failing to find a buyer for the facilities. That came after state and local officials funneled $40 million to Prospect while the company in an effort to keep the hospitals open. Flashback: The company also closed two other hospitals in Delaware County in 2022. Penn Medicine tells Axios it has worked for two years on "creative efforts" to help sustain Crozer Health, including offering $5 million to acquire and absorb leases for some of Crozer's Broomall and Brinton Lake outpatient facilities. Prospect Medical rejected the deal last week, a Penn spokesperson said, adding the decision has "negative impacts for patients and displace many talented healthcare professionals." Zoom in: Ambulances began diverting patients to other hospitals on Wednesday, per court documents. The hospitals' emergency rooms are expected to close on Friday, while emergency medical services end on May 2. Meanwhile, all patient services are expected to end at Crozer-Chester Medical Center on May 2, per court documents. Patient services at Taylor Hospital will cease on Monday, except home health services will fully close on May 11. The end of services is subject to change due to the transfer of patients and other issues.
