'Real possibility' financial woes will close Nevada's UMC

There is a "real possibility" that University Medical Center, in Carson City, NV, could close due to financial problems, Clark County Commissioner Steve Sisolak. The hospital is losing money and the county can't afford to raise its subsidy, he told the Assembly Government Affairs Committee. Sisolak said he doesn't want to see the hospital shut down, but he outlined its problems to the committee and later to reporters. He said UMC is a "safety net," adding that paying patients and those with insurance are going to other hospitals. Another problem is collecting payments from insurance companies, which Sisolak said he has talked with the district attorney's office about. The hospital takes up 5.7% of the county's $1.2 billion 2011 budget. Sisolak said an effort is being made to get private financing in place.