Merger Notes: Geisinger Medical Center And Shamokin Area Community Hospital [News – Item, The (PA)]

Merger notes

Founded: GMC, 1915; SACH, 1912.

Service area: Geisinger Health System, based in Danville, serves more than 2.6 million residents throughout 44 counties in central and northeastern Pennsylvania; SACH, located in Tharptown, Coal Township, serves central, eastern and southern Northumberland County and surrounding communities in Columbia, Schuylkill and other counties.

Beds: At GMC in Danville, 495, plus 40 in joint venture with Health South Rehab hospital on the campus; at Shamokin, 70 (45 acute care; 15 skilled nursing; 10 in-patient geriatric-psychiatry).

Employees: Geisinger Health System, 14,000; G-SACH, 300.

Unions: GMC does not recognize unions. SACH had two unions representing about 80 percent of its workforce; one union has already decertified the other union and its contract are no longer recognized by the hospital as of Sunday's merger.

Pay and benefits: Rates for SACH employees will remain mostly unchanged, although some could see raises. G-SACH employees now receive GMC's benefits plan.

Insurances/services: The same services remain for patients at SACH, and it will accept the same insurance providers as before. The state required that G-SACH continue to accept the same Medicare Advantage plans for three years, even though there are four that Geisinger doesn't currently accept.