Jackson CFO says foot-dragging has cost system $30 million

Jackson Health System has lost about $30 million in possible benefits this fiscal year because of delays in getting help from outside firms, Interim Chief Financial Officer Ted Shaw said at the monthly meeting of the Public Health Trust. Some of this was from the six weeks that have gone by in the negotiation of a contract with PricewaterhouseCoopers, while other benefits were lost because of the protracted discussions of a contract with Chamberlin Edmonds, an Atlanta company assisting in qualifying persons for Medicaid. About $10 million of this cannot be recouped, Shaw said. The rest will be gained later, perhaps in fiscal 2011, the Miami Herald reports.