Area Hospitals Receive Massive Gas Bills, Association Works To Find Solutions

Oklahoma hospitals are having a tough time believing their gas bills after February’s winter storm.

The Oklahoma Hospital Association is working to get a handle on it all and said they are hearing back from 15 hospitals statewide with significant increases.

“This was not budgeted for and for some of our small hospitals, this is quite a hit,” said Patti Davis, President of the Oklahoma Hospital Association. “These increases are so large, there is no hospital that would have budgeted for an increase that they have experienced in the short term. It is just a real anomaly.”

Included in that list of 15 is Integris Health who say they received a bill increase of 4,000%. Integris Vice President of Support Services, Brian Roberts, released this statement to News 9:

“Our natural gas billing for the month of February increased in excess of 4,000% The total bill for the month was approximately $5.8M. Our Natural Gas Supplier is Symmetry Energy Solutions, LLC based in Houston, TX. Our initial reaction to receiving the bill was one of significant concern. We thought there had to be a mistake in the billing.

Our next step will be to work collectively with the Oklahoma Hospital Association, Office of the State Attorney General and state leaders to seek relief from what we view as unreasonable rate increases during this most recent weather event. We would ask our state leaders to be aware, engaged, and to support the collective efforts of the Oklahoma Hospital Association and its member organizations as we seek to reduce the significant financial impact in total that this will have on health care providers in the State of Oklahoma.”

SSM Health is reporting a similar story. Officials report their gas bill does not seem to add up. They released this statement to News 9:

“Like other area institutions offering essential services during February’s historic low temperatures, SSM Health St. Anthony was significantly impacted by increases in heating costs during that period across our locations. Our gas usage in February 2021 was about 15 percent higher than February 2020, but the bill is 2,025 percent higher for the same period. This resulted in an approximately $1.2 million total bill over what was about $57,000 for the same month last year. Despite these challenges, our patients come first, and we will always take all steps necessary to assure we are fully open to care for those who need it.”

“We know that hospitals have bills that are coming due and they are saying, ‘are we going to have to pay those?’” said Davis. “We know certain energy companies reaching back saying we will work with you on that.”

The Oklahoma Hospital Association said it reached out to the Attorney General’s Office and the Corporation Commission.

Regardless, the association said patients come first.

“Our power grid did not break down in Oklahoma, we are thankful for that,” said Davis. “We’re thankful that we were being able to keep our patients warm. That is our number one concern.”

The Oklahoma Hospital Association said they are in discussion with Oklahoma Senator James Leewright about what lawmakers can do to help.