Counties continue to seek SPCC asset distribution

Murray County Commissioners joined Rock County in opposing the distribution of $3 million in Southern Prairie Community Care (SPCC) assets to a private health care insurance provider.
Both counties are members of SPCC, an integrated health partnership that sought for seven years to improve health care delivery services to income-eligible residents.
Last year projected financial shortfalls forced the joint powers partnership to dissolve, a move that is expected to be complete in 2020.
Last summer all members were presented the opportunity to join PrimeWest Health Services, an existing 13-county managed health care insurance provider.
As an incentive, SPCC voted to distribute $3 million of its current assets to PrimeWest to help with each county’s buy-in costs.
The distribution is expected to take place this summer.
However, counties who did not join PrimeWest would not receive a share of the $3 million.
“We do not feel that it is fair to those (counties) going in a different direction,” Commissioner David Thiner wrote in a March 6 letter.
The Murray County chairman addressed his letter to all the SPCC member counties along with a copy of the resolution passed by the Murray County board.
The resolution, seeking a fair asset distribution, was passed at the Murray County Commissioners March 5 meeting. The resolution was similar to one Rock County adopted late last year.
Thiner confirmed Friday his board voted joining PrimeWest three times before recently settling on their first vote not to join.
He said his board couldn’t justify an additional $800,000 from taxpayers in the county’s health and human services budget, when the state already provides the service plus assumes all the insurance liability.
Thiner didn’t expect the other 10 counties who voted to join PrimeWest to support his county’s resolution.
“I would be surprised if I hear from them,” he said. “But if you don’t try and do something then nothing can be accomplished.”
Rock County commissioners unanimously supported Murray County’s request to more fairly distribute the $3 million in assets.
The SPCC board of directors met Friday.
However, no Murray County representative was at the meeting.
Commissioner Greg Burger, Rock County’s SPCC board representative, attended the March 22 meeting and was ready to second any motion to discussion the division of assets.
Burger made a similar motion at the Nov. 21, 2018, meeting to discuss the asset distribution but none took place.
“I am still a little frosted that I didn’t get a second to the motion when we brought the resolution,” Burger said.
Thiner was unsure why a Murray County representative wasn’t at Friday’s meeting.
SPCC’s next meeting is May 24.
In addition to Murray and Rock counties, SPCC members also include Chippewa, Cottonwood, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lincoln, Lyon, Nobles, Redwood, Swift and Yellow Medicine counties.