El Pasoans deserve the facts on UMC bond: U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar
Lack of access to health care is a significant driver of economic inequality and poverty. In El Paso we know that only too well, as nearly a quarter of our population lacks health insurance and even those with some coverage are one illness away from financial ruin. That’s why the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Paul L. Foster School of Medicine and its key partner, University Medical Center (UMC), have been such positive forces. Today, UMC has an exciting proposal to continue that positive trajectory to save lives, create jobs, and prevent cancer and burn patients from having to leave El Paso for treatment. But this progress is being threatened by a powerful, out-of-town group trying to use our community to push its extreme agenda.
There are two (perhaps coordinated) campaigns trying to stop UMC’s efforts. One is possibly funded by the same competitor headquartered elsewhere that attempted to prevent the building of El Paso Children’s Hospital (EPCH) and UMC’s primary care clinics. The other comes from the “Libre Initiative,” funded by the Koch Brothers, who have used their immense wealth to try to dismantle the health care safety net in our country; their ultimate goal is to gain political traction in El Paso, using dark money that doesn’t have our best interests in mind. While both claim they are about “sending it to the voters,” their ultimate goal is to kill this proposal, which if rejected by voters, cannot come back before El Paso County leaders for three years. That’s three years of much needed health care access delayed.
More:El Paso County begins process to possibly increase taxes for $346M in medical projects
El Pasoans deserve the facts.
UMC’s $345.7 million proposal includes expanding their critical care bed and surgical capacity (to include an operating room for burn patients); a central El Paso neighborhood health clinic/urgent care center; more beds and emergency and surgery capacity at EPCH; land acquisition from the medical school that will create efficiencies for UMC and Texas Tech; and includes the ambitious vision of creating a cancer center right here in our community. The proposal creates over 400 new jobs and will infuse $31 million into the local economy annually. Construction will create an additional 850 jobs, with an immediate infusion of $38.5 million into the economy.
While it’s important to consider the impact of a tax increase on taxpayers (on average, less than a 2% impact on your overall property tax bill), it’s equally important to evaluate the return on investment. Let’s look at UMC’s impressive record on that:
UMC’s 2006 investment of $150 million in upgrades created an increase of 24% in revenue.
El Paso Children’s Hospital isn’t just profitable, it’s created 802 jobs and keeps 85% of children in need of treatment here at home in El Paso.
The UMC clinics offer an array of primary services, created 206 jobs, have exceeded projected patient volumes and were instrumental in helping the community combat COVID-19.
More:$346M plan seeks new cancer treatment center, upgrades at UMC, El Paso Children's Hospital
No wiser investment
UMC is able to take our investments and return them to El Pasoans exponentially in the form of improved care and jobs. The (on average) 8 cents that UMC collects with every tax dollar gets leveraged and brings in $1.2 billion in Hospital District revenue, used to create more health care, services and jobs for El Paso. There is no wiser investment.
Having a strong health care sector also creates an environment attractive to companies and individuals wanting to relocate here. Quality of life isn’t just measured by parks and amenities; it’s measured by how well we care for residents.
There’s also the moral case for support. Anyone who has had to leave the community for burn or cancer care understands the significant financial and emotional burden that poses, even if you are fortunate enough to have insurance. There’s no reason why in a community as large as ours, many El Pasoans still have to leave to get life-saving care.
It’s my hope that El Pasoans do not put their faith in campaigns that seek to undermine our well being. There is no reason why our community cannot have what other major cities in Texas have. Our families deserve it.
El Pasoans have a history of taking care of one another and carving out our own destiny. I’m grateful to UMC leadership, its staff and visionary board of directors, and it’s my hope that Commissioners Court will assess the value these projects bring, embrace this historic opportunity to address its health care mandate in this significant way, and vote to issue the bonds that will support increased health care access for all El Pasoans in need.
Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, is U.S. representative for Texas' 16th congressional district.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Pasoans deserve the facts on UMC bond: U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar
