My only question is why is the Gazette kissing this guys arse so much lately?

While I do not agree with everything he has done, and the way he has gone about it, Javon has done a lot of good for our community. For example, a lot of professional jobs have been created and with these higher paying jobs, the families have bought more expensive houses and thus have contributed to the community in the form of taxes, which allows our community to operate.

Sounds like you want a National Health Care System to alleviate the burden on employers.
And think of the money saved by paying all the high flying CEOs on the standard paygrade.
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I agree, there is too much tied with employment. Not sure how a silent hand health care free for all would fix it though.

When is the last time you checked health care costs,
and how the rising costs TAX individuals, businesses, non-profits, and budgets.
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Between the health care costs, and CEO pay it is hard for US businesses to compete in the global environment.

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But I'm counting on the Vatoloco mental gymnastics to blame it all on those rich teachers and their health insurance premiums yada yada yada.

Using Vatoloco's logic - the superindendent should get a huge raise to 7 figures because of all the jobs she brings to the area.
And no teachers should ever be cut because of the jobs.

I never made a comparison of Bea's job to a HS principal -it was to superintendent of a large SD (where the compensation is 1/10th of Bea's).
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Hospitals are a necessity for any community. It's not like Bea innovated and is manufacturing some great new needed product. I know there is competition with the other hospital, but generally Mercy will be around whether Bea is there collecting $3.6Million compensation or not... Kind of like schools....
There is no doubt that hospitals take govt money as well.
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Is Bea doing all this great work soley for the sick patients? We keep hearing how educators are only in it for the money, perks etc, -so what do we think of this guy?
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Below some commentor said Bea's pay is on par with comparable health system CEOs. The silent hand at work? That is a laugher. So all the Wall Street brokers are getting what they deserve because that is the market rate?
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It is yet another example of the limitations of the private sector, free markets, capitalism - or whatever you want to call it. I hesitate to call it any of those, because it's not when it gets rigged and gerrymandered in such a way where the CEO gets paid 60 times more than his employees.

It isn't all black and white, although people want things to be that way. Mercy provides a wonderful service to the community and is a well-run organization. However, it is also true that Bea's compensation is out of line with those of similar healthcare CEOs in the state and on the higher end nationally. The Mercy Board, which sets the salary, apparently feels this is appropriate. Those of you who do not can contact Mercy Board Members, but should realize that those Board Members have access to a lot more data about what is "appropriate" than do casual readers of the Janesville Gazette.

I have to admire a man who runs an organization and runs it as well as Mercy is run. It provides well paying jobs to over 4200 people. What he earns is none of my business nor should it be. When people start moaning about what anyone earns. Should those moaners be able to set wages for everyone? Ask them how much a butcher should make? A baker? a clerk in a store? a CEO ? an auto worker? a mechanic? an electrician? a plumber?. A radio announcer?, a news reporter? a street sweeper? These moaners are just plain envious. If the moaners don't like him, then they can go to a different facility if they want or need health care. The USA is still (for a while yet) a capitalistic nation that provides choices.

A school principal does not work for a company that generates its own revenue, taxpayers dont pay bea's salary like they do a prinicipal....terrible analogy.

Absolutely correct.
If they operate on the same playing field as any other tax paying private sector business does, I could care less if the guy makes $500 million, if that's what their board, and investors feel he is worth. You can't play the free enterprise "it's what the market calls for" card, when it's an unfair playing field that takes advantage of public $$'s.

Tax exemption should be taken away from everyone and every organization....our tax system is in desperate need of revamping from top to bottom.

If we had a fair and balanced tax system we would once again be a debt free nation.

Take away their tax-exempt status and pay the guy 100 million, but tax exemption should be taken away immediately

Abe_Lincoln:
Your postings are RIGHT ON, and get right to the heart of why people have the right to raise valid questions, and concerns. You can not make valid comparisons to other executive pay in the "private sector" when you are taking advantage of huge breaks (all of which you detail) granted to you from the public. The hospital essentially does become a public sector entity with all the huge breaks they are given. I can almost guarantee you that if a school principal was being compensated $3 million a year, the same ones defending Bea would be beyond outraged, no matter how great that Principal was doing.

Am I the only one who smells a rat with this fluff story?
I find highly unlikely that the gazette just happens to come out with two Mercy pieces promoting Bea in the last month. It's quite OBVIOUS that the logical explanation is that Bea contacted the Gazette. Mercy clearly has access to the gazette via their mega advertising $$$'s. Now LOW AND BEHOLD two "advertorial" fluff pieces come out claiming to be news. LOL
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I think it's quite apparent to anyone with a brain that these stories are put out right from the Mercy polit bureau, contacting the Gazette for positive PR, since Bea has been lambasted with public outrage over his salary. A salary which takes advantage of a tax exempt status, to essentially loot the covenanted public trust which that tax stats bestows.
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Notice how all the apologists site how much $$ Bea has made for Mercy, and not how many sick patients have been made well. It's very apparent that it's all about $$'s to these people, and if you don't agree your just a jealous, low life, peon. As long as mercy can keep cranking out higher and higher revenue, and bigger and bigger profit, despite being "non-profit", hey let them keep on looting the public, who have given them this covenanted tax exempt status.

tiredofhearingit said, "should I keep going?"
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Yes, please do. We'll tell you when to stop.

hey hey Mercy is a non profit facility IMO because any money made goes to the Big guy you know, Bea, the one that nets all the profits... I have on more then 2 occations taken someone to the ER and 4 to 5 hours later they still had not been seen. They were not BUSY EITHER other people had waited 3 hours or more,Some said they were going to go home and call an ambulance as then they would be seen sooner, As I sat there with my friends I watched as to who they seen first and IT WAS NOT ON emergency need either...I to am GRATEFUL that we have an option. I agree they must be paying a good price for this piece.HEY vato*LOCO* when you rip the people off they tend to frown upon it and you the one that thinks teachers/police/fireman/and any other public employees make to much HAHA At least they are here in the classrooms and on the streets with the people they are to serve/teach who pay their wages,more then a day or 2 a week. Thank God for Dean/ST. Mary's

onelife2live - mercy turns people away???

I needed a procedure and I was turned away at UW Hopsital in Madison, Meriter, and St. Mary's. Mercy is the only hospital that would take me because I dont have insurance.

I owe my life to Mercy.

Since repeats are welcome:
Fortunate for Bea, his work is exempt from your public sector worker demonizing. Even though his business is so close to public sector work(hospitals are institutional, take public money, they are non-profit and don't pay taxes etc etc).
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Milwaukee Public Schools has over 90,000 students 220 schools and 6100 staff under the superintendent. I don't think you would vouch for that position to earn $3,600,000 no matter how the magic test scores turn out for the district. Would you be fine vouchering for a $3,600,000 salary at a private school system?
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Dave,

I dont know the particular details of your friends specific situation. That being said just because Mercy wins a quality award-it doesnt mean they are perfect nor does paying "what you can" mean that its enough. I certainly dont wish your friend ill will-often individuals in billing and patient services simply lack the compassion or tolerance to deal with situations such as this-they treat it like a black and white issue. I have found that most people are reasonable if given the opportunity to reason.

Dave,

Avg pay at for the S&P 500CEO is 7.6 million per year. There are about 600 hospital systems in the US.

Partners Healthcare CEO make 4 million, Philly Childrens hospital CEO earns 3+, Jim Sanger of SSM 1.7, Beas pay is in line with national peers but he does make more than the ambulance driver or ICU cleaning crew chief and this is a problem for some people.

@TCB...thanks..I know how debt collection works. The problem here is that the one person I know WAS PAYING...Paying what they could afford each month, despite the fact they were unemployed. The issue it that it was still turned over to collections.

Moosho,

Obvioulsy you know nothing of the award. It is acceptanced nationally and internationally as the model for performance excellence. If it were simply as easy as buying it for -then I would buy one for my business today. Moosho, this the psuedo outrage against bea is about his salary-nothing more. Jealousy and envy.

Dave, hospitals write off debt all the time this doesnt mean that the collection agency contracted with a hospital will not attempt to collect a debt.

@Employeed1...
I know for a fact that neither of those programs you suggested were offered to one of the people. They met with the payment/finance people downstairs as well as talked to billing on the phone many times. NOT ONCE were those programs mentioned. Also, they were paying $50 per month and it still got booted to collections.....Seems to be a disconnect with someone of something in this case.

Now, to be fair, I will check with the others and see if that was offered. That is good to know because then people can specifically ask about that. Thanks for the info...

DaveJVL,
Mercy gives a 20% discount to uninsured patients and offers interest free payment plans for a minimum of $50.00 per month for up to 3 years! They also have a charity care program for uninsured patients. The provider writes sooooo much off....not the insurance.

I don't hardly read the Gazette blogs and this is a great example of why- faceless negativity. I thought the article was nice and being a Mercy patient myself, I appreciate all that Javon Bea has done for our community. "the secret in life has always been to listen more than you talk, and always do the next right thing no matter how painful the consequences or resistance." I like this quote a lot and will think of this when I strive to be the best I can be. ********Thank you Mr. Bea, keep up the great work.**********

TCB..Baldrdige award...you mean the award Mercy paid $7,000 to apply for? If I remember right, they didn't get the award the first time they applied...No problem..just write another $7,000 check and re-apply and get it the next time...And look at stats for award...382 winners for healthcare...Maybe you should look at those others that won and see how the CEOs salary compares...That would actually be interesting to see...

Javon Bea is promoting himself and Mercy because he knows they can't handle the competition. The specialists at Mercy are a joke and when they screw up Javon doesn't do the right thing and help the patient - instead he tells them to sod off.

Becca,

Great point! Glad to hear your daughter is doing better...

Roadmaste-hospital CEO or System CEO? There is a difference. Whats does the national average have to do with Beas salary? Im sure the avg hospital system CEO also is a Baldrigde winner as well? Let me guess-if Bea were to earn 1 penny less than the avg hospital CEO-youd would applaud this? Sure.

What is the average CEO salary of companies with 4000 employees? I dont know nor do I care. Bea is paid market clearing rate and his salary and bonus is set by the board of directors....evidently some people believe he is worth what he makes...

Dave: There are many types of hospitals. For profit, non profit, public/county, govt (VA), etc. Even if you were to eliminate Bea and his salary, individuals who cannot or willnot pay for the service they received will often be sent to collection. My guess is that the amount of bad debt written off by Mercy far exceeds Beas compensation...

Vatoloco - I can hardly imagine your take on his salary if we had national health care system (not that I am backing one here).
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Fortunate for Bea, his work is exempt from your public sector worker demonizing. Even though his business is so close to public sector work(hospitals are institutional, take public money, they are non-profit and don't pay taxes etc etc).
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Milwaukee Public Schools has over 90,000 students 220 schools and 6100 staff under the superintendent. I don't think you would vouch for that position to earn $3,600,000 no matter how the magic test scores turn out for the district. Would you be fine vouchering for a $3,600,000 salary at a private school system?
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And as far as your repetitive browbeating of people here, i.e. your quote "don't complain about having a public sector job that you are not happy about...get a private sector job".... I work in the non-union private sector and that will be the case with my profession always.
So in your and Walker's world of devisiveness, I'm one of those workers that does not have the star on their sleeve.
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Similes like swine are ok by you, if I recall. Are metaphors PC?

@becca the blogger...
I don't think anyone will argue with you that the medical care provided at Mercy is excellent. The issue seems to be the financials, Mr. Bea's salary, and the fact Mercy is not-for-profit.

The people I mentioned in my first post did receive excellent care. The issue is that they were unemployed and were trying to pay what they could when they could. However, it was not to Mercy's liking so they turned them over to collections. That's not cool when you go around promoting charity work and not-for-profit status. Also, they would have been considered 'cash payers' and paid a MUCH higher fee for their care then someone who had insurance because the insurance companies write sooooo much off. Ask a Mercy doctor how much they get paid on each dollar billed for a MercyCare patient.....

Anyway, it is good to hear your daughter was ok and yes, it is important to have quality healthcare close. However, there was quality healthcare close before HMOs/MCOs took over..

I just do not understand the citizens of Janesville. This is a heart warming story about a guy who made something of himself. He has brought so much to Janesville and you guys are griping about it? I just do not understand!

My daughter recently fell off her bike and hit her head on the sidewalk. She had bleeding on her brain. If they wouldn't have had a neurosurgeon available at Mercy IN OUR TOWN she would have died. Everyone thinks St. Mary's is so great. WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE PEOPLE. They do not have any specialists there, you will be shipped to Madison for anything that is serious. If she would have gone to St.Marys Janesville she would have been shipped to Madison, she would not have made it.

It disgusts me to listen to all the stupidity in this town......and when I hear comments like these, I feel embarrassed to be a resident of Janesville. WAKE UP PEOPLE. He is doing a great job!

From a previous article...
http://gazettextra.com/news/2011/dec/12/...

Not-for-profits do make profits, at least in good years, and it's important to do so. Because it's not disbursed to shareholders, profit goes toward fund balances that help replace equipment, build new buildings and provide more services.
Not-for-profit hospitals are exempt from most income and property taxes, and their tax status is based, in part, on a requirement that they provide charity health care and other services for which they often aren't compensated.
That's referred to as "uncompensated health care" and includes charity care and bad debt.

1. Charity health care and other services not compensated for??????? Really?? I know numerous people who lost their jobs, still needed health care, went to Mercy, paid as much as they could when they could...and what did Mercy do??? Turn them over to collections cause they didn't pay their entire bill as fast as Mercy wanted them to. WHAT A JOKE!

2. And where does Mr. Bea's large salary fit into this?...."Not-for-profits do make profits, at least in good years, and it's important to do so. Because it's not disbursed to shareholders, profit goes toward fund balances that help replace equipment, build new buildings and provide more services."

Jealousy isn't the reason that most people become upset over seeing salaries like Mr. Bea's. To say so is just an attempt to deflect from the many real reasons that lead to people having such contempt for a salary such as this one.

Instead, much of the resentment comes from people not agreeing with the justification of such compensation. Sure, Mr. Bea has grown the Mercy Health System. In many ways, this is a great accomplishment. Yet, this alone shouldn't be the sole justification of his earnings.

Given the fact that Mercy has grown to meet demand of a growing and aging population, Mr. Bea has been doing what is necessary for the community. Doing one's job, in many cases, doesn't lead to such rewards as that show here. So, for people to question the situation is fair.

To live in an era where the norm appears to be a race to the bottom, with greater numbers of people being required to contribute more for less, it is natural to examine cases like this one. To come to the conclusion that Mr. Bea may indeed be compensated generously is quite valid.

However, the attempt cloak this man's success in a 'Rag's to Riches'/humble beginnings piece shows how out of touch the Gazette can be at times. With a majority of people struggling to get by, let alone get ahead, it is understandable that an article like this will aggravate people.

What people here are expressing isn't jealousy. Instead, it is the contempt toward people that feel the need to brag about their story simply because they did well. When that person's success is ultimately tied to other peoples hardships, the insult is much greater.

He isn't exactly a public sector worker, but Mercy is a non-profit entity (and abated from taxation). Hospitals - generally thought of as a necessity to serve the public.
We the people, the public, pay his salary one way or another.
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These forums list and express outrage over the level of pay for people that work in the public realm-such as teachers, or school superintendents with hundreds of employees and thousands of students -even though they make a small fraction of what this man makes.
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Is his pay exhorbinant ($3.6 Mill I believe)?

Do a drive-by of the new Mercy North Clinic and the new St Mary's / Dean. Only 6-12 cars at Mercy at any time over the last two weeks. St. Marys / Dean packed to the gills.
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Mercy North is 1 clinic that houses three Doctors and an ER. St Mary's/Dean is an entire hospital & clinic. To be fair, add up all the cars @ Mercy Hospital, Mercy East, Mercy South, Mercy West, Mercy Health Mall, Mercy North and then come back with your comparison. Oh, and that was only Janesville, don't forget some people traveled to Dean/St Marys from out of town so you better add in Mercy Beloit, Mercy Edgerton, Mercy Whitewater,Mercy Milton - should I keep going?

Right on Vato. Selfish people saying selfish, ignorant things.

The guy deserves every penny the board is willing to give him. Anyone bother to read the part about turning a $33million dollar struggling hospital into a $1bilion+ well run company with 4200 employees? Do you honestly think hospitals are run any different than any other company? Are you all that miserable with your lives that you have to hide behind your computer in your parents basement ripping a guy for his success? He did not write the tax exempt code. If that is your issue, then take it up with the proper people. I've never met the guy, but I congratulate him on his success. Maybe the rest of you should go out and do something to better your own life, rather than waste time complaining about another persons success.

"Mercy leader learned ideals at a young age".
So in other words, he learned how to screw people over at a young age.

I happen to admire his business sense. I think it's great what he has done to change Mercy around - that hospital was going under fast. Set aside your opinions of him for a moment and think about what he's done for the Janesville economy .... He's helped build several hospital and clinics, employed thousands of people and generated an economy boost. Let's stop the negativity and start seeing more of the good in people.

Kiowa,

Who is stopping you from building and opening a for profit hospital?

gee, only 1 pro-Mercy comment out of 17, so far not to good for Mercy's rep here in Janesville.

Yet he can justify his salary. How much time does he spend in Janesville? Specifically running Mercy Health System?

Do a drive-by of the new Mercy North Clinic and the new St Mary's / Dean. Only 6-12 cars at Mercy at any time over the last two weeks. St. Marys / Dean packed to the gills. Says it all.

As discussed in another Mercy blog.
The problem is not what a CEO can make, it's Bea's compensation is the result of special treatment, and an unfair playing field. The problem arises when you get that sort of compensation, and are taking advantage of a TAX EXEMPT status. When you are entrusted by the public to be given tax exempt status, you are essentially being entrusted to look out for their good. When that entrustment is being used to pay mega executive salaries, it obviously raises serious concerns with the public. Again I don't care what any CEO makes, and have no jealousy what so ever. I just see it as a major unfair playing field, and violation of public trust, when you are given special treatment in the form of tax exempt status to in turn pay huge executive salaries. That goes for ANY CEO of a tax exempt corporation.

I guess it's kiss and makeup time for the Gazette and Mercy. What a joke.

Anyone aware of the clear conflict of interest in him paying a family member to produce art and design work for the renovations at a hefty price tag? And why would they be so stupid as to remove televisions from the waiting rooms? That was the only thing that made the interminable wait times mildly tolerable. What a dumb move.

Apparently the Gazette no longer has a problem with Mercy. This article made my stomach churn.

I would like to see more of "Mercy's" charitable contributions to the local community as Mercy seems to make a lot of money of the same community. Mercy used to be run by the nuns who would not turn people away. Not the same Mercy we have now. Peace

Nice fluff piece, I wonder how much advertising Mercy had to buy to get this??

I am so sick and tired of hearing about this pinhead. I am so glad a real medical facility has come to town to give Mercy some much needed competition. Mercy hospital sucks.

The national average compensation for a hospital CEO is about $630,000.

Road,

why dont you compare them to all hospitals? It is. It is obviously apparent that you do not work in an industry that looks to peer organizations to set executive compensation.

So to answer my question-the reason you wrote about Beas salary and bonus is because "it exceeds what other hospital executives earn" ? It may or may notbut so what? His board of directors determine his salary.

The real answer is that you are jealous. Nothing more.

Other area hospital executives compensation:
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/h...

Because it by far exceeds what other hospital executives earn.

Bill and roadm,

Why didnt you mention your salary and benefits? Why are you concerned if its 10 Million or 150K per year? (is it that you are simply envious of what a hospital CEO earns-maybe you think you could do the job?) Probably the latter-envy.

So true Roadmaster, and do you ever see him at a community function that he is not receiving an award? His money leaves with him on Thursday when he heads to MN and he makes up for it by coming back on Tuesday. But you have to admit he has a good PR dept to keep the salaries over the years under cover.

Funny, doesn't mention his $3,639,00 in salary and benefits for 2010,