On September 13, the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) sent a letter to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), expressing concerns over Brius’ initial plans to close three nursing homes in Humboldt County and calling into question the company’s claims of lost profits and its use of temporary nursing personnel. You can find the letter here.
While Brius has stated in the press that it has lost $5 million over the last 18 months, the company’s own self-reported financial information tells a different story. According to California’s Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development, since 2011, when Brius took over of these nursing homes, to 2015, the most recent year for which such information is available, the company tallied more than $5.46 million in profits from the operation of these homes. In fact, in this same time period, the three nursing homes that are being planned for closure – Eureka, Pacific, and Seaview rehabilitation and wellness centers – have shown a total profit of $1.65 million (see the chart below).
NUHW’s letter asks CDPH to remove Brius as the operator of the nursing homes and place the facilities into receivership until a suitable operator (or operators) can be brought in to run them on a day-to-day basis. NUHW’s actions join a growing network of concerned individuals and groups that include legislators, state agencies, and elder advocates.
| 2011* | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | Total | |
| Eureka Rehab. | $148,208 | $795,910 | -$81,696 | -$228,105 | -$1,576,688 | -$942,371 |
| Pacific Rehab. | $113,464 | $407,168 | $66,212 | $595,689 | $1,963 | $1,184,496 |
| Seaview Rehab. | -$353,073 | $577,166 | $532,675 | $849,149 | -$193,983 | $1,411,934 |
| Granada Rehab. | $579,506 | $792,218 | $722,901 | $684,807 | $141,971 | $2,921,403 |
| Fortuna Rehab. | $288,548 | $268,367 | -$79,744 | $270,002 | $145,205 | $892,378 |
| Total | $776,653 | $2,840,829 | $1,160,348 | $2,171,542 | -$1,481,352 | $5,467,840 |