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Today was that audio news conference by board members and executives of the Motion Picture & Television Fund and Foundation. I'll have a full report on it shortly. But it was curious that, before it even FINISHED, these bigwigs had already prepare the following press release about it. No kidding. And they did NOT address all the points they make here about "inaccuracies", even when I asked:
MPTF ADDRESSES CONCERNS AND INACCURACIES REGARDING THE UPCOMING CLOSURE OF ITS HOSPITAL AND LONG-TERM CARE UNIT
MPTF leadership holds press conference to provide facts and address false allegations
WOODLAND HILLS, CA, Feb. 11, 2009 – The Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF), the entertainment industry’s premier health and social services organization, held an audio press conference today to address concerns about the recently announced closure of its acute care hospital and long-term care facility. Also discussed were inaccuracies being reported about the closure.
Participating in the media conference were Frank Mancuso, Chair of MPTF Corp. Board; Jeffrey Katzenberg, Chair of MPTF Foundation; Joe Fischer, Chair of MPTF Board of Trustees; Dr. David Tillman, President and CEO of MPTF; Ken Scherer, CEO of MPTF Foundation; Seth Ellis, COO of MPTF; Mark Fleischer, MPTF Board Member; Steve Valentine, CEO of The Camden Group; and Andy Garb, Loeb & Loeb (MPTF legal counsel).
Mancuso said that “the decision to close the hospital and long-term care facility did not come easily, but one the Boards needed to make. This decision was made so that we can continue to provide services and support to the 215 residents on the Wasserman Campus, the 100 children who are cared for at the Goldwyn Center, the 1,100 people who received financial support from MPTF last year, the almost 5,000 people who reach out to MPTF for some type of social service and the more than 65,000 patients that use one of our six health centers every year. We have an obligation to these people, and future generations of entertainment industry workers, to make sure MPTF is there for them.”
MPTF leaders went on to identify and dispel several untrue allegations that have been made since the initial announcement on January 14. Among them were:
1. ALLEGATION: MPTF’s announcement of its acute hospital and long-term care closure effectively ends the comprehensive care it once provided to aging industry members.
TRUTH: MPTF is, in fact, continuing its commitment to comprehensive care for seniors in the entertainment industry, including those who will need to relocate. Each person who is relocated will be followed by a Community Care Team consisting of a doctor, a nurse practitioner, nurses, pastoral care and a social worker, all of whom will continue to be involved with their care. Seniors needing hospitalization or long-term care following the closure will be provided with referrals to other MPTF-approved facilities. MPTF continues to provide care for the more than 215 retirees who live on the Wasserman Campus in independent and assisted living and memory care. We expect this will ultimately position us to be able to provide comprehensive care and assistance to the thousands of entertainment industry seniors who want to age in their own homes.2. ALLEGATION: MPTF’s claim that declining Medi-Cal reimbursements and a depleting endowment are reasons for the closure is untrue.
TRUTH: Medi-Cal reimbursement, which represents more than 80 percent of MPTF patient load, has not kept up with the operating costs of the MPTF hospital and long-term care unit. MPTF provides millions of additional dollars to provide the outstanding service and care that has been so widely acknowledged. The gap between what MPTF receives for these services rendered and the actual cost is $10 million, and has been for the past 4 years. MPTF has had to subsidize a $20 million-a-year difference ($10 million for hospital and long-term care, and an additional $10 million for all other charity services). The gap for operating the hospital and long-term care facility will grow significantly every year, which would lead to a complete depletion of MPTF’s endowment and eventual bankruptcy.3. ALLEGATION: MPTF tax returns for 2006 and 2007 do not show a $10 million loss, or any losses at all.
TRUTH: As a non-profit, MPTF submits 990 tax forms, which show the overall financial status of the organization but are not intended to be a detailed indicator of operational performance. The $20 million gap was overshadowed in 2007 by two large, one-time gifts and portfolio performance.MPTF draws money out of its investment portfolio and uses fundraising revenue to close the above-referenced $20 million gap between operating/charity expenses and revenue. The trend is that the $20 million gap is growing more rapidly than we can predictably earn income and philanthropic support.
4. ALLEGATION: The opening of the Saban Center for Health and Wellness seems inconsistent with an organization in trouble.
TRUTH: The services provided by The Saban Center are integral to MPTF’s future ability to provide comprehensive care to thousands of seniors in the industry. In addition to the utilization of the fitness facility by campus residents, there are already more than 500 industry members regularly using the facility. The Saban Center also gave MPTF the opportunity to consolidate overhead expenses, which saves the organization more than $450,000 a year in rent for office space that no longer needs to be leased.5. ALLEGATION: Some of the residents feel tormented and are reluctant to eat, and their impending move is causing their health to decline and in some cases has resulted in their death.
TRUTH: This is untrue. While this decision is surely causing stress among residents and their families, it has not resulted in change in our usual experience of illnesses, physical ailments or death. Because we know how stressful this is to those involved, each resident being relocated has been assigned a team of professionals to help ensure their physical and emotional comfort during the transition.6. ALLEGATION: Other hospitals are facing the same challenges, but are not closing their long-term care units.
TRUTH: Many hospitals are closing entirely, and here in Southern California Providence St. Joseph, Hemet Valley and Orange Coast Hospital have all recently announced the closures of their long-term care units.
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Nikki I listened in live to the press conference live and I thought that the MPTF if anything merely obfuscated the issues (that and they didn’t like you asking tough straightforward questions – poor babies)
By the way for those who are in the LA area, this might be worth attending:
Host: Save the Motion Picture Hospital
Time and Place Date: Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Time: 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Location: MPTF Campus
Street: 23388 Mulholland Drive
City/Town: Woodland Hills, CA
http://www.facebook.com/inbox/#/event.php?eid=49916279913&ref=mf
This statement by the Board that they have assigned a team of professionals to elderly residents to ensure their physical and emotional comfort is a pathetic distortion of facts. The Board had their social workers directly tell sick and old old human beings who are residents, without family present, that they would have to move out starting in 60 days because they were closing their home down. The Board has the very same social workers go into their rooms and talk to them about moving out. Ask the residents and family members about the residents not eating, not sleeping, some crying all day, old men gripped with fear soiling their pants. Old people hearing that their names will be placed on lists and they will be moved out in phases – to who knows where? The Board never considered human life when they made this decision and don’t care to consider it now. What historical event does this remind you of?????
The inhumanity of this all.
About a year ago, my wife and I donated $50 to MPTF’s strike relief fund during the WGA strike. I don’t say that to suggest we deserve any medal for it, we don’t. It was a good cause, so we made a modest donation. I’m sure many other non-Hollywood types did as well.
The thing is, ever since we’ve been getting the most lavish documents and communications from MPTF. Frankly, I’m pretty sure they’ve spend more money on those than the $50 we initially sent them.
I think MPTF isn’t very used to dealing with small donors on a mass scale, but rather a few large donors of Hollywood entities and high income individual figures.
The reason I mention the above, is I wonder how many tens (hundreds?) of thousands of dollars MPTF wasted in the last year on communicating lavishly (and if you get MPTF communications, you know what I mean) to small donors brought in by the WGA strike.
I was on the phone call, and listened intently to every word. Here were guys that I once looked up to. Guys that really know how to make movies. Movies that I love.
Well, it reminded me of the young waitress at the Troubadour who was serving a drunken and disorderly John Lennon before he was shown the door by Peter Lawford, after hurling obscenities at the Smothers Brothers. I remember her words”
“It’s so disappointing to face the fact that your hero is a schmuck.”
Wow Jeff, I am so freaking disappointed in you and the really cavalier attitude that you showed during this conference. You knew that there were a lot of family members who have a stake in your decision. You didn’t even have the decency – or the balls – to acknowledge us, take our questions, or to address us directly.
Thanks Nikki for all of your excellent reporting on the MPTF’s decision to phase out ling term care and close the Motion Picture Hospital.
The Fund says, “…here in Southern California Providence St. Joseph, Hemet Valley and Orange Coast Hospital have all recently announced the closures of their long-term care units.”
I say, “how, in good conscience, can these industry leaders remove over one hundred long term care beds from a dramatically shrinking pool of beds?
Tillman and Ellis have been telling families that once they recieve their 30 days notice, they will have to move their loved ones – even if they are still just on waiting lists for the facilities of their choosing. The families were told that will have to compromise.
In the LA Times today, Katzenberg was quoted as saying he had to make one of those “Solomon like choices” in deciding to close long term care at the MP&TF.
When did he become an expert in elder care? Who put him in charge of who will live and who will die? Who appointed him God?
Where are the big Stars and Celebrities? So many of you are wonderful and caring people.
Are you afraid of Katzenberg? He used your name on his giant ad in the Trades last week. Your name was on top of his letter to the Industry and invite to the big “Pre-Oscar Party.” Is he more important than speaking out against innocent sick old Industry people going to the slaughter? Where the hell are you in this? An atrocity is happening in your own back yard and you know it and you can see it.
WHERE ARE YOU?
Katzenberg lied
Elderly will die
May you reap what you sow!
I listened to the audio news conference last night and this is what I heard:
One board member talking about how making this difficult decision affected him because his mother was at the home and would have to be moved – enough said about a guy who had the opportunity, but instead threw his mother under the bus.
Katzenberg, Tillman, Ellis et al continued to speak about dollars and cents – no mention of human lives, no mention of compassion, no mention of past promises, just the almighty dollar and the “vision” of a retirement facility that basically has no sick people in it.
Katzenberg said at one point “the board was so focused on the decision-making it forgot to pay proper attention to its communications strategy.” I was astounding by this remark – read it once again “THEY FORGOT TO PAY PROPER ATTENTION TO ITS COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY – human lives were being turned upside down, the frailest people with little or no voice were being affected, but THEY FORGOT to mention it to them and their families. Enough said.
But at another point he said it was not appropriate to open the decision-making process up to anyone outside the board.
They spoke of knowing this was coming in 2004 and then when asked why they didn’t let people know this was coming or talk to the families before the letter went out on Jan. 14th – They didn’t even understand the question.
Why in 2004 didn’t you start communicating that things may have to change in the future? We may have to stop accepting patients into the long-term care facility and eventually just let those that are presently there live out their lives. No one ever thought the families would be in a Board meeting voting on the outcome. It’s called communication – talking to those whose lives will be affected.
I hope that those involved in the Night Before” event are reading this, and becoming educated about what is happening to those in their industry – how disrespectfully they have been treated and how those that run this fund, some making well over $600,000.00 with their expenses (Sound like some CEOs we hear about in Washington.) will listen and ask the same questions we are asking.
Here’s one last question -If you knew in 2004 this was going to happen, why were you taking new patients into the long-term care facility as recently as 8 months and 4 months ago, and telling their families that they could live out their days here?.
Cheryl Hardy Phillips
sister of a long-term care patient
The comment about Dr. Tilman and Seth Ellis ….I agree to the agreement that SETH ELLIS, These are his wishes and his afiliations to the “Age in Place” dream. No current models are in place in the USA. He wants to be a “visionary” and a leader and say ” we did it”
Ellis is the one that has the ideas, the affiliation with groups around the USA that are trying to come to a solutions for the aging americans and the short fall ahead with the goverment supprt for our seniors.. We should not be a “TEST SITE” for change that “MAY” happen in the future. Dr. man, with out Seth Ellis we would still be “Taking take of our own”. I truely beleive this……
My suggeation is to start asking questions to Seth Ellis and not Dr. Tillman !
Ellis is the one that “Sees the future of our seniors” Right…..
Ask these questions to the board…..These changes did not come from Dr. Tillman…..rather…..Seth Ellis; He has a “Vision of things to come”!!!!!
Don’t us our organization as your platform to change America…at our families expense…..
Lay Offs, the way MPTF is handling the process. 60 DAYS NOTICE …since Mid January… To Employees – We (MPTF MANAGEMENT)” will notify you about your 60 days notice of layoff, This may in 60 days or lead up to October….or until we no longer need your services………..Call Jan Zlotowicz… What a way to “End Jan’s career with retirement at the end of 2009 ” by laying off 290 employees and saying “Thanks for your dedication” yes sir to Dr. Tillman…Must feel great to leave your job and start enjoying life with retirement knowing you had a part of laying off so many families that need the salary and the insurance for their families? “Residents and employees having to make “Changes”, The saying her “Service Excellence Program says” ….She leads….”Change Happens”. Jan – With families and employees you meet in the upcoming days, I hope the suffering you see when talking to employees hangs with you….. knowing you did the right thing ???
From – Your Employee Getting Ready to get the 60 days Notice.
Well, I listened to the telephone press conference. Thank you for asking the hard questions, Nikki even though they apparently did not choose to answer them.
Needless to say, the property is PRIME and within very close proximity to Los Angeles and on the way to Santa Barbara.
On-going fundraising can be difficult if that is not one’s first priority and/or mission. Dr. Tillman has been involved for a good many years, perhaps he should have retired or trained someone else to take over that responsibility?
As for funding: I understood them to say that there is a $65mil/yr endowment that earns only one percent (1%) interest. However, in 2007, there were two (2)generous gifts of $15mil ($30mil contributed to MPTF. Then, there is also the yearly Academy Awards fundraiser which, apparently, has contributed another $30mil, however it wasn’t clear to me whether he said it was every year for six (6) years or was it rather $30mil within 6 years (to support charitable obligations and services}? Of course the studios and networks also contribute (undisclosed amounts from 7-8,000 donor gifts/year). Then, there’s Mancuso’s celebrity golf tournament yearly fundraiser which is likely to continue raising funds for the MTTF every year.
[b]In July 2008, it’s claimed there was a ten percent (10%) reduction in Medical contribution which funds pay eighty percent (80%} of the costs.[/b]
However, there was also an increase in patient medical expenses of from six to eight percent (6-8%}. Then, of course there is the up keep of the facility housing the long-term patients which may be in need of repair.
When asked “What will the facility be turned in to?” the reply was, “Aging in place, independent and assisted living; cottages and lodge will be expanded.”
Katzenberg’s statement, “This has not been communicated well” might even be laughable if this wasn’t such a serious matter concerning the quality of Life and/or Death of Loved ones.
“No stone left unturned,” someone said. Apparently, an attempt was made to get someone else to run the facility and “nobody wants to run it.” Also, they even tried to sell off a piece of property in the back to make a deal for someone else to operate the facility.
In this ever advancing age of communications, how is it even possible there could be such a failure to communicate?
For questions and/or inaccuracies not addressed in the MPTF’s press release call 1-800/986-4300
Katzenberg quoting Solomon?! He should be quoting “Hades” King of the Underworld; God of the Dead…
MPTF should start to worry about their other programs. The MPTF Health Centers…. with changes on who will have Health Care coverage for their Health Centers.
MPTF should have stayed with taking care of our own – Elders. This change has only happened in the last 18 years….. Yes Tillman was part of the last 10 years.
http://www.400hours.com/400bannerwhatwewilllose.html
The cancers that the hospital was set up to take care of has spread to the soiled souls of the MPTF Board! What a legacy!
I listened to the replay of the conference call. My mother is at the long term care facility. I’ve worked for several large corporations in high tech in northern california. Beyond the absolute crap these people were spewing I could NOT believe the way they abruptly ended the call. I have sat on thousands of conference calls and sometimes there is unhappiness and upset people. However, the calls have ALWAYS been ended appropriately with some sort of statement like,
“we are sorry we cannot answer your question or we must end the call” and the phone operator (ATT in this case) says thank you for calling into the conference. The call is NEVER just terminated! This is unfortunate as I was hoping these folks might show some level of professionalism. But it was clear they lack that skill. It was all to clear that at least one of them was so upset with Nikki’s question that he pulled the plug on the call – the same thing he is going to do to my mother. This makes me even more suspicious of this entire situation at this hospital. They just want to unload the patients to die somewhere else. My mother was not a “charity” case. She had a lot of money that these thieves took from her with the promise she could live out the rest of her days there.