July 10, 2000

The Health Center administration presented a Fiscal Year 2001 $434.7 million budget to the trustees June 29. The figure, including state revenues, forecast a year-end surplus of $170,000.

The biennium budget proposal presented to the board was for $461.5 million for FY 2002 and $494.1 million for FY 2003. The numbers represent respectively 6.1 and 7 percent growth.

"These are realistic numbers," Peter J. Deckers, M.D., dean of the School of Medicine, said. "This is a positive, can-do budget. It represents priority support for the institution's mission and the achievement of a sustainable market position.

"This budget shifts focus of the Health Center's financial objectives," Deckers said, "from deficit reduction to strategic investment in activities which will provide for our long term financial health."

Patient care, including Correctional Managed Health Care - the health care service for the Department of Correction the Health Center manages - represented the largest share of revenues - $229.2 million - projected in the '01 budget.

The proposed budgets anticipate state block grant appropriations growing from $72.4 million in FY '01 to $76 million in FY '03.