The North Broward Hospital District Board of Commissioners approved a new millage rate of 1.2770 for FY2022.
The increase over last year’s mileage rate of 1.1469 is due to the negative effects of the pandemic and the impact of the current economic environment. “To ensure reserves required to overcome this volatile virus and the continuance of our provision of high-quality care, we are recommending this increase,” said Alex Fernandez, Senior Vice President and CFO of Broward Health.
Reasons provided by the board for voting on the new millage rate included ensuring Broward Health, a safety net hospital, can offset unprecedented costs, including supplies, pharmaceuticals and labor, all attributed to the pandemic.
“This past year, we saw that it was necessary to have the tax revenue to provide the services needed by our community,” said Stacy Angier, chair, North Broward Hospital District. “Without raising taxes, we wouldn’t have been able to provide necessary COVID-19 care. We have to ensure the safety of this hospital for this community.”
Past Chair Nancy Gregoire Stamper added, “People’s health is of paramount concern.”
“We thank the board for voting to protect services and care for our community’s most vulnerable,” said Shane Strum, Broward Health President/CEO. “We will aggressively look for ways to increase existing and new revenue streams with the goal that next year we can roll back the millage rate.”
The millage rate is a set percentage of property values used to generate tax funds to cover all uncompensated care costs for Broward Health, which includes four hospitals and Broward Health Community Health Services. Broward Health is the primary care provider for the indigent, uninsured and underinsured living in the northern two-thirds of Broward County.
