Stories Written on a Snowy Night Part 2: UConn

Here's the orignial UConn story. This one had fewer "quotes" to paraphrase - it was more a matter of re-organizing content.

UConn Version 1:


A proposed partnership between the University of Connecticut Health Center and Hartford Hospital could end the Health Center's practice of seeking state money to cover deficits. The Center would, however, still require ongoing state funding for bonding and labor costs.



This proposed partnership would include a new "University Hospital" with two campuses, a new 250 bed hospital to replace John Dempsey Hospital, and a plan to maintain Health Center employee's status as state employees. However, now the state would pay the difference between the employee's fringe benefits costs and those of other hospital employees.



Challenges facing this partnership include reuniting the unionized Health Center and nonunion Hartford Hospital, and dealing with the dire financial situation of the state, with the projected budget deficit in the billions. When asked about these issues, Representative Roberta Willis of the Higher Education Committee, took a deep breath and said, [Quote:] "Did you hear my deep breath?"



UConn Version 2:

UConn Health Center Hartford Hospital Merger May Require State FundingThe University of Connecticut Health Center could end to seek state money for covering its deficits by merging with Hartford Hospital. According to a report by the independent Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering issued this morning, the details of the proposed partnership includes:

• Creating a "University Hospital" with two campuses, UConn's John Dempsey Hospital and Hartford Hospital.

• Building a new, 250-bed hospital to replace John Dempsey Hospital. The state would pay the bonding costs for the project and the cost of any new equipment. In the past, the cost has been estimated at $475 million.

• Maintaining Health Center employees' status as state employees. However, the state will pay the difference between their fringe benefits costs and those of other hospital employees which amounts to millions of dollars a year.

• Collaborating with other area hospitals to increase their involvement with UConn's medical and dental schools, with access to students, interns and residents and research.

With the proposed partnership, the UConn Health Center would have financially stabilize, not have to rely on cash infusions from the state legislature to stay afloat in recent years. It could significantly change the healthcare landscape in the region and be transformed into part of a major academic medical center.

It would also replace the existing Dempsey Hospital without significantly adding to the number of hospital beds, and create a two-campus University Hospital. At present, the UConn Health Center is one of the nation's smallest academic hospitals, including the state's medical and dental schools, research laboratories and the 224-bed John Dempsey Hospital. Its hospital is very small and outdated, but has many commercial advantages due to located in the prosperous Farmington valley. Representative of both UConn and Hartford Hospital's parent company would lead this corporation. This is a result of many discussions of the state lawmakers about challenges of the potential partnership for last 2 years.

UConn Version 3:

A new report says a partnership with Hartford Hospital could keep the UConn Health Center from seeking state funds for it's deficits. But, the report by the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering says the hospital would still require ongoing state funding for bonding and labor costs. The plan will be unveiled to state lawmakers today.

It includes the creation of a "University Hospital" with two campuses at UConn's John Dempsey Hospital and Hartford Hospital. It also proposes the construction of a new 250-bed hospital to replace Dempsey, paid for by state bonding. Under the plan, Health Center workers would remain state employees, but the state would pick of the differences in fringe benefits costs between them and Hartford Hospital employees.

The partnership is intended to stabilize the UConn Health Center, which has relied on cash infusions from the state legislature to stay afloat in recent years.