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WHS and UPMC Affiliation

Building Tomorrow’s Healthcare Together

WHS and UPMC Affiliation2024-04-10T18:17:16-04:00

Excited For What Our Future Holds

Our upcoming affiliation with UPMC presents exciting new opportunities that will advance our mission of providing Great Patient Care, primarily by helping us improve and protect what matters to WHS and the communities we proudly serve. Built on a longstanding partnership with UPMC, this affiliation will be good for patients, ensuring local access to care and maintaining current services. It will be good for employees, sustaining current jobs while offering world-class benefits to attract new talent and opportunities. And it will be good for our communities, ensuring that we can continue to provide long-term exceptional care today and well into the future.

Latest News

Watch the Rep. Tim O’Neal Press Conference with Washington Health System and UPMC – 4.9.2024

Debunking Myths

Get the facts on how WHS’ affiliation with UPMC will positively impact our community

What They’re Saying

See what supporters of the affiliation shared at a public hearing hosted by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General

Frequently Asked Questions

General

What is the current status of the affiliation between WHS and UPMC?

The Definitive Agreement was signed on October 18, 2023. The regulatory approval process is ongoing and we hope for it to be completed as soon as possible. Time is of the essence – as each month goes by without the affiliation, the current WHS system is placed in further financial strain.

Consistent with the assessment of our Board of Directors, external national consultants reinforced the urgent need to identify a partner for long-term sustainability. WHS has been operating at a budget deficit of $30 million since 2022. If we don’t act, WHS could be forced to spend the next two to three years cutting services and reducing costs before facing the inevitable. That’s potentially 2,700 local employees without a job and a loss of essential healthcare and medical services this community needs. Part of our evaluation during the RFP process included looking at UPMC’s track record of success partnering with other regional healthcare systems like ours.

We are still in the regulatory approval process and have little insight on exact approval timelines, but we hope it will be completed as soon as possible in order to maintain continuity of care and avoid disruptions for area patients and employees.

We hope not. But each month that passes during the approval phase is another step closer to us having to make difficult decisions that could lead to service disruptions or cuts.

UPMC’s mission has always been to expand access to world-class care close to people’s homes, as evidenced by its long and extensive track record of previous successful affiliations. A WHS-UPMC integration means that patients in Washington and Greene Counties and beyond will now have better access to advanced healthcare. UPMC promises to preserve the long-term health and vitality of WHS and the communities it serves for many years to come.

UPMC has no plans to close or relocate services outside of the county. An affiliation with UPMC will greatly expand the availability of health services in the communities that WHS serves, as has occurred in all other UPMC affiliations. UPMC has promised to preserve the long-term health and vitality of WHS and the communities it serves for many years to come.

Jobs/Employees

Washington Hospital currently has a collective bargaining agreement in place with the SEIU through February of 2025, which would stay in place in accordance with its terms. Any modifications to the current agreement will therefore be subject to good faith bargaining. UPMC currently works with more than 20 bargaining units across its system in addition to employing thousands of union workers who are helping UPMC build and enhance its facilities and services.

While elements of the employment packages of non-unionized employees will change, base pay of those employees will not change as a result of the transaction.  UPMC evaluates the market annually to ensure that its wages are competitive in each of its operating areas and will do the same for employees working in Washington and Greene Counties.

UPMC’s world-class benefit plans will also be introduced, with more offerings than those that are currently available.

No – UPMC will invest in its employees and improve benefits offerings. UPMC aims to transition all WHS employees who are interested in continuing their careers with UPMC Washington. Each employee will be afforded the world-class UPMC benefits, many of which meet or exceed those that they receive through WHS.

Insurance

Access to care will not be interrupted, regardless of patient insurance plans. UPMC provider locations accept national and local health insurance plans, and WHS currently has numerous clinical arrangements and joint ventures with UPMC that have provided subscribers to all major and regional insurance plans with exceptional care.

As of now, there is no change in health insurances that will be accepted at any WHS site of service. UPMC provider locations accept national and local health insurance plans, and WHS currently has numerous clinical arrangements and joint ventures with UPMC that have provided subscribers to all major and regional insurance plans with exceptional care. Following the affiliation, it is expected that all major insurances will continue to be accepted as they are today, but please contact your insurer for more information.

Pension

Any previous Washington Hospital employee who is currently collecting a pension from L&G Banner will be unaffected by the affiliation with UPMC. Pension payments will continue as they have in the past.

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