County negotiating new contract with Cooper Green doctors | News

JEFFERSON COUNTY, AL (WBRC)- Some patients at Cooper Green Mercy Urgent Care are worried about getting medicine and seeing their doctor in clinics. This week, Jefferson Clinic P.C. has about eight physicians at Cooper Green to treat patients but their clinic contract has not been extended.

That is troubling news for Barbra Biggs who is diabetic with high blood pressure. Biggs needs medicine but she was told her doctor left Cooper Green Dec. 1.

"It doesn't make sense to me. Why would you allow this? Why would you lie to me? Why would you put my life on the line? Why would you put my health on the line?" Biggs said.

Cooper Green officials have told Biggs to check Tuesday to see if they can find her a new doctor to authorize her medicine. The business administrator for Jefferson Clinic P.C. told FOX6 News the law required them to send out letters last week to patients, giving them 30 days notice the contract was going to end Jan. 31.

Jefferson County Manager Tony Petelos office tells FOX6 News that negotiations are underway for a new contract. Birmingham Rep. Mary Moore has been a critic of Jefferson County for ending inpatient care and turning over the hospital license without a plan in place to care for the poor.

"We are almost to the point it leaves you speechless that we would have talked about something for months and months and months and to see people suffering that need medicine," Moore said.

Biggs hopes to get her medicine later this week but she also fears other patients may be falling through the healthcare cracks at Cooper Green.

"It's not about me but there are other people out there who are in worse shape than I am," Biggs said.

Jefferson Clinic P.C. hopes to send out a new letter soon saying a contract has been worked out, assuring patients their healthcare will go uninterrupted.

Copyright 2012 WBRC. All rights reserved.