Agenda - 09-01-2009 - 7a - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Obviously it's impossible to equate these projects with the proposed Hillsborough facility but the facts remain that this hospital's payroll expenditures will serve the community as 5 important economic stimulus, creating and supporting jobs throughout local and regional economy. The dollars earned by the UNC medical facility employees will be spent on groceries, clothing, mortgage payments, rent, etc., generating a significant sum as seen in other localities. The remaining 245 acres of Waterstone Village and Hillsborough area will support additional commerce such as physician offices, pharmacies, nursing homes, equipment suppliers, restaurants, motels and florists". The UNC Hospital will of course spend a significant sum on the goods and services it needs to provide health care -- for example, medical supplies, electricity for its buildings, and food for patients. One final note there are some health care analysts that would argue that the cost impact' studies the hospitals are doing do not take into account the 'lost opportunity cost' of employers paying more and more and more for health insurance (which provides the reimbursements revenue streams) that the hospitals are using to do this building and expanding. ... Reducing this to its simplest terms some feel dollars be more productive if left in the hands of local businesses, i.e. in wage increases to their employees instead of increased premiums. Leading to the question would the dollars be more productive spent by employees in local stores, instead of in the hospitals because of their higher deductible plans? ... thus leading to the chicken or the egg question of which expenditure has a better return on investment for economic development?"