CISSSO projects $6.5 million deficit

2018-03-20 Liz Draper 267 Views topstory

Chris Lowrey
OUTAOUAIS March 21, 2018
Board members for Le Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de l'Outaouais (CISSSO) were told on March 8 that the organization was projecting a budget deficit of $6.593 million.
The projected budget shortfall represents about one per cent of the organization’s budget of more than $650 million.
According to CISSSO spokesperson Geneviève Côté, the main reasons for the projected shortfall are due to an increase in the costs of medication and an increase in employees going on long-term disability.
For the years 2016-2017, there were 771,167 hours of long-term disability insurance logged. In 2017-2018, that number has gone up to 794,579, which represents a nearly three per cent increase.
“We have a lot of people who are on long term disability insurance which led to additional costs,” Côté said in an email. “Also, we must replace people who are absent.”
Côté said that this has resulted in increased overtime costs because CISSSO has had to bring in workers from private agencies.

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