I had lunch a few weeks ago with the President of the STX hospital and the Hospital Board Chair from STX.

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I asked what their plan was for our well documented medical issues.

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They said they had no plan, but were in the process of contracting a consultant to come up with a plan!

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They also said they recently asked for additional funding from the Senate and the Governor but were turned down.

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The situation is desperate and will continue to deteriorate for the indefinite future.

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The fundamental problem they (and all the other candidates for public office) see is the Government is now kicking in some $40 million per year to cover the losses of our two hospitals, and it's apparently still not enough, while they are bombarded with reports of waste and inefficiencies including billing, procurement, management and numerous other policies that are costing 'millions,' and that also only get worse.

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They see it all as a losing enterprise and see additional funding as 'throwing good money after bad' as conditions of this all important public service go from bad to worse.

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Unfortunately there is a critical understanding they have all overlooked.

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They never look at the tax revenues the medical sector generates for the Government.

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For example, when the hospital pays employees, substantial tax revenues are directly returned to the Government as personal income taxes, and indirectly through gross receipts and other tax revenues generated when they spend their salaries.

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Additionally satellites of the hospital, including labs, services such as radiology, and clinics all of which require a functioning hospital for much of what they do, also directly generate Government tax revenue through employee and corporate income taxes and indirectly through the tax revenues generated when they spend their incomes.

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I only have the tools to do rough estimates of the tax revenues generated by the medical sector, but the total seems to be approximately $50 million, indicating the Government that believes and acts as if it's losing $40 million is, instead, making a profit of $10 million.

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This changes everything.

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The medical sector is returning $50 million in tax revenues from the Government's contribution of $40 million.

This turns the presumption of throwing good money after bad on its head.

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Now the financial affordability question is how much additional, critical, life saving investment into medical supplies, billing systems, and management enhancements will further increase tax revenues.

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As Governor, I will have the medical sector finances recast in this context, which reveals the true financial condition, and opens the door to addressing the pressing medical needs of our community.