Kootenai Health to Cut 80 Jobs Citing Efficiency, Cost Pressures
Kootenai Health, a nonprofit health system based in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, is eliminating 80 positions, less than 2% of its more than 4,500-person workforce, the Coeur d'Alene Press reported Nov. 10. The system did not specify which roles are affected but said the cuts target areas needing efficiency improvements, with notifications underway or expected this week. CEO Jameson Smith said the decision followed an extensive operations evaluation amid rising costs and reimbursement pressures, including Medicare rates rising below inflation, reduced Idaho Medicaid coverage and reimbursement, commercial payer delays and denials, and double-digit increases in medical supply costs. The system also cited drug costs rising more than $60 million over two years after losing 340B disproportionate share hospital status. Kootenai Health said it will try to place affected employees in other roles where possible and offers support resources; it currently has 139 open positions.