'It's just so heart wrenching': University Hospital retirees discuss ongoing Piedmont lawsuit

In what University Hospital retirees involved in a civil suit against Piedmont Healthcare Inc. are calling a frustrating ping pong match, the case was once again moved from Richmond County Superior Court to federal court.

The suit, filed on March 21 by 174 retired employees, claims just a few months after University Health Services joined Piedmont in March 2022, retirees were notified promised lifetime health benefits for employees over 65 with more than 30 years of employment would no longer be funded as of the end of 2023 and are now only being paid voluntarily.

While 174 retirees are listed in the suit, there are more than 250 retirees losing benefits worth about $1,800 annually per person, according to previous reporting. As of Feb. 27, two-thirds of the affected employees were signed onto the suit.

Previous report: 'A small victory': Federal judge rules to move lawsuit against Piedmont to state court

On April 19, Piedmont moved the case to U.S. District Court, stating the employees' claims fell into federal jurisdiction. The hospital filed a motion to dismiss nearly a week later.

In a court order issued by U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall on Dec. 13, the hospital's motion to dismiss was denied and the case was remanded to Richmond County Superior Court.

However, just a month later, on Jan. 12, the hospital again requested the case be moved to federal court.

Superior Court Judge Amanda N. Heath ultimately sided with the hospital, ordering the case back to U.S. District Court, according to a notice of removal filed on Feb. 16.

The decision impacts the employees' ability to try the case before a local jury, but the hospital agreed to continue providing the benefits until the case is settled.

Dozens of employees this week gathered at Pine View Baptist Church in Augusta to discuss the recent rulings. Organizers answered questions and provided more information about their legal representation and chances of winning the lawsuit.

"We can't say enough about [our attorney] Jack Long and his willingness to help us in this process," said Robert Taylor, one of the plaintiffs in the suit and former chief financial officer for University Hospital. "He is willing to put his legal fees and his office's expenses at risk – if we don't win, he doesn't get paid. If we do win, then the court will award him legal fees for his efforts, but that's the only way he gets paid. ... We're awfully lucky it costs us nothing to participate [in the suit]."

Retirees also discussed the lack of support from the Richmond County Hospital Authority, which was formed under the Georgia Hospital Authorities Act in the 1960s.

"When this started, a group of us wrote letters to board members, that included authority members and University Health Services board members," Taylor said. "I never got a response."

Taylor noted the authority governed University Hospital from the 1960s up until 1984 and all of the assets and the right to lease those assets resided and still reside with the authority.

"I've had conversations with two authority members and essentially what they've said is the role of the authority has been diminished in recent years, that they meet infrequently and that they're not involved in the business," Taylor said. "It is troubling."

Even though church pews were filled with retirees at the meeting, another speaker, Robin Petrey, said there were so many more affected employees that weren't able to attend due to health issues.

"One of our retirees is blind and she can't be here, but she wants to be part of this," Petrey said. "Here she is in the later years of her life and she is now having these [benefits] threatened, which could financially change her world and make it even more difficult than it is. It's just so heart wrenching."

Petrey, who worked for the hospital for 40 years, is not 65 years old, so she is not legally a part of the lawsuit. However, she said she is part of it emotionally.

"One of the saddest comments that I heard when we were having the forums with Piedmont was that, 'Well, we just can't afford this,'" she said. "What you're saying then is if you suddenly can't afford to do it, you don't have to honor that promise. I said, 'Why would a patient ever pay a bill at Piedmont again?'"

Leonard Sweatman, who worked in IT for the hospital for 30 years, said those who spent their entire careers working for the hospital were the ones who made it valuable enough that Piedmont had a desire to acquire it.

"The 250 people who earned the benefit, they were people that secured and built the value of University Hospital for decades," Sweatman said. "We are resolute in representing them to the end of this process and we will use our best effort to see that it is accomplished."

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: University Hospital retirees discuss ongoing Piedmont lawsuit