AM I NEXT? NO LOVE -- LAYOFFS AT BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD OF MINNESOTA

Eagan, Minnesota-based Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota has announced a reduction in force that will see 60 employees laid off from its Egan headquarters and another 40 employees from its Iron Range communities of Aurora and Virgina, Minnesota.

A company spokesperson noted, that the layoffs “are consistent with the normal course of business administration adjustments that take place on an ongoing basis.”

“As our industry continues to face new challenges and opportunities, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is on a journey to transform health care and deliver quality outcomes at the lowest cost to provide a differentiated experience for our members. Ensuring we have the right capabilities and organizational design in one of the first critical steps we are taking to better enable future innovation and growth. By centralizing resources and staffing levels around key strategic priorities, Blue Cross is well-positioned to deliver solutions that can generate the best health experiences for our nearly three million members.”

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life, or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere ... are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE -- LAYOFFS AT FUELCELL ENERGY

Danbury, Connecticut-based  FuelCell Energy, maker of fuel cell energy conversion devices, has laid of 135 workers in its Danbury, Connecticut headquarters and main manufacturing facility in Torrington, Connecticut. A company spokesperson noted, “We don’t undertake these actions lightly, and we remain focused on executing in the near-term on the (80-plus) megawatts in backlog of projects we have already won. These actions should not impact our commercial ability to deliver on these projects.”

The financially-embattled company is struggling to rework their current debt load and seeking immediate investment opportunities. Any additional reduction in force might jeopardize loans based on job credits from the State of Connecticut. According to financial reports, the company has gone 22 years without generating a profit and the losses continue to mount. The company continues to face competition from other companies and energy conversion technologies, notably those based on solar and wind-driven turbines.

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life, or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere ... are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT EAST OHIO REGIONAL HOSPITAL & OHIO VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER

Irvine, California-based Alecto Healthcare Services has announced a reduction-in-force of 70 employees in its recently purchased Wheeling, West Virginia-based Ohio Valley Medical Center (OVMC) and Martins Ferry, Ohio-based East Ohio Regional Hospital (EORH).

According to the CEO of OVMC and EORH, Daniel Dunmyer, “We have been working very hard to achieve reductions in operating costs while improving efficiencies. Unfortunately, these measures have not yet resulted in sufficient cost savings to our hospitals. Our administrative team reviewed the staffing levels in each department to ensure the operational needs of the two facilities continue to be met, as well as to address areas where changes can be made.”

The company appears to be caught-up in the same type of problems facing similarly situated facilities who point to the increased costs of maintaining aging facilities, a decline in patient census, and reductions and restrictions relating to Medicare reimbursements.

Both facilities, acquired in 2017 by Alecto were facing financial and operational difficulties at the time of purchase. Alecto was also facing a $30 million legal action by Antelope Valley Hospital in California which alleges that “Alecto slashed the hospital's nursing staff, mismanaged the hospital's IT processes and botched the management of essential hospital equipment, all in the name of cutting costs.”

Prudence should dictate that employees of both facilities should increase their vigilance of the ongoing developments and update their exit strategies in case of further financial or operational troubles.

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life, or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere ... are you now wondering, Am I Next?