Focus Ventures: One of Paulie Earn and Whine's Recommended Buyers for Valley View

Dear Nieces and Nephews, there is much to consider with an issue such as the “sale of Valley View”. We have posted materials and received comments about the issue including, but not limited to, WHY SELL?; Retention of Current residents; the Employees and also the financial side: Will the Sale of Valley View solve Orange County’s financial woes or will getting better leadership do so?

The ILLEGAL LDC Chairperson, Paulie Earn and Whine (Paul Ernenwein of the Newburgh law firm Catania Mahon Milligram and Rider) recommended the following four potential buyers:

Focus Ventures

Comprehensive Healthcare

Vestracare and

Zenith Healthcare

Today we are looking into the first on the list, Focus Ventures and we have found quite a bit. Focus Ventures’ Managing Director and Principal is Joseph Zupnik of Monsey NY. Joseph is quite busy with his many healthcare operations and potential acquisitions. One of those potential acquisitions was the County-owned Nursing Home in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. (Yes, Pennsylvania.)

Let’s take a look at Joe’s activities there!

Joseph Zupnik submitted a “Proposal for Purchase” June 12^th 2013 RFP 13-27

Sale by the County of Montgomery, Pennsylvania of Parkhouse, Riverview & Montgomery Meadows, a County-Owned Nursing and Rehabilitation Facility

When you read the "Proposal for Purchase" you find that Joseph is quite the entrepreneur, with his fingers in many health care pies. Owner of ambulance services, medical supply companies and other medical facilities, in multiple states, his assertions that he is not another “big business” healthcare company do not ring true. Also, there are potential conflicts with many opportunities to “sell to yourself” and bill Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance. For Example, if you are in the hospital or nursing home and you require special equipment not provided by the facility; if you are being discharged with medical equipment such as an Oxygen Concentrator, or if you need home healthcare services upon discharge; you are supposed to be presented with a list of providers in the area because it is “patient choice”. (www.cms.hhs.gov)

But think about it, if you are recovering from surgery, are you really going to question which private company for medical/surgical supplies or which home health care provider the RN Case manager assigns to you? You probably would not even be aware that it is not being provided by the facility itself or might think “they know what they are doing."

So, It may be troubling to find that one entity owns: a Home Health Care Service, Ambulance Services with coverage areas in NY NJ PA and DE, Durable Medical Equipment Supplier, Skilled Nursing Facility and “Daycare”, Adult Homes, Financial Services and other supporting services (whatever that means) for Focus companies as well as Healthcare  Finance and Management Consulting (Sterling management).

Opportunity abounds! For Joseph Zupnik and Daniel Herman (Joe’s partner) but does it for Orange County and Valley View? And Joseph even highlights these in his Proposal for Purchase to Montgomery County PA on pages 12, 13 and 17. http://www.montcopa.org/DocumentCenter/View/6664

Selling to yourself and then billing a third party, kind of reminds your Auntie of something that has happened before with Valley View in recent times. Hmmnnn….

And, Joseph, just because you repeatedly say that you are “innovative” doesn’t mean that you are.

Especially when the examples of your innovation are the creation of a walking trail and hiring a Chef.

Nice, but hardly innovative. 

Even though Joseph presented his BID for more than $33M in CASH (yes cash); the BID was awarded to:

http://www.montcopa.org/bids.aspx?bidID=63&PRINT=YES

Bid Number:	RFP 13-27
Bid Title:	Sale of Parkhouse, Riverview & Montgomery Meadows
Category:	Requests for Proposal (RFP)
Status:	Closed
Bid Recipient:	AWARDED TO: Mid-Atlantic Health Care, LLC

And all he was offering Orange County in 2013 (THR-Chris McKenna 1/18/13) was:

 

The company, which is based in Airmont and operates several health care businesses, including a 120-bed nursing home in Utica, has offered $19 million for Valley View, but is pushing for an arrangement in which it would absorb future operating losses — or share newly realized profits with the county — instead of paying the purchase price outright.

Under that type of deal, the county would pass off Valley View to Focus Ventures as a receiver as an interim step while waiting for the state to approve a sale, which could take a year or longer. Once the state allows the receivership, the union contract covering Valley View employees would end, and Focus Ventures — then in full control of the operations — could cut costs by lowering wages and benefits.   http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130118/NEWS/301180350/-1/NEWS29

Interestingly, Mr. McKenna’s article is included the Focus proposal as an example of:

EXHIBIT A-NEWS ARTICLES DEMONSTRATING FOCUS' CAPABILITIES (caps ours)

We wonder if Mr. McKenna is aware of his demonstration of Focus’ capabilities.

This Exhibit A also included one transcript from NBC Today that appears to have nothing to do with Focus Ventures and four articles regarding Focus Rehab and Nursing Facility in Utica NY.

The Same Story, just four different sources.

Are we supposed to be impressed? 

Paulie, did you even look into this when you recommended Focus Ventures? Does someone in Orange County have a stake in any of these Focus Companies? We do wonder!!!

Well, just to reassure you, if you, or the elected officials who are tasked to do so, can’t find the time to look into it, don’t worry! Auntie and the team will!!!

And like a child that want to get its own way and repeatedly does the same thing until his/her parents just give in, Orange County is going to adopt a resolution to form an LDC to sell Valley View!!! Déjà vu!

 

Some interesting tid-bits:

Joseph Zupnik on Linked In (about 2 weeks ago-typos theirs): Healthcare Entrepreneur Greater New York City Area Hospital & Health Care                 Managing Director/Principal The Focus Family of Companies July 2010 – Preoksent (4 years 3 months) Visit www.FocusVenturesLLC.com to learnmore about the Focus family of companie Principal/Managing Member Sterling Management Group LLC 2004 – Present (10 years)Airmont, NY Healthcare consulting and financial managememt team specialized in finding solutions to unique operational and financial problems. Magically, the resume expanded: Joseph Zupnik on Linked In (current) Greater New York City Area Hospital & Health Care Experience: Current 1.            The Focus Family of Companies, 2.            Sterling Management Group LLC Previous 1.            Centers for Specialty Care, 2.            Hatzalah Volunteer Ambulance Corps., 3.            Care-One Education 1.            Yeshiva University Sy Syms School of Business Experience Managing Director/Principal The Focus Family of Companies July 2010 – Present (4 years 3 months) Visit www.FocusVenturesLLC.com to learnmore about the Focus family of companies Principal/Managing Member Sterling Management Group LLC 2004 – Present (10 years)Airmont, NY Healthcare consulting and financial managememt team specialized in finding solutions to unique operational and financial problems. CFO and Facility Owner Centers for Specialty Care 2007 – 2011 (4 years)Bronx, NY CFO of a large fast growing post-acute group of healthcare facilities in New York. Centers' manages both the finances and  operations of the entire network of facilities. Paramedic- Volunteer Hatzalah Volunteer Ambulance Corps. 1996 – 2011 (15 years) Accountant/Treasury/Construction Care-One 2001 – 2003 (2 years)NJ Staff/Senior Accountant Auditor Loeb and Troper LLP 1999 – 2001 (2 years)New York, NY Staff/Senior Accountant serving the Healthcare Industry. Extensive experience in the long term care, skilled nursing, and other adult care facilities. Education: Yeshiva University Sy Syms School of Business BS, Accounting 1999 And more: "The deal has enabled the partners to achieve financial benefits by consolidating operations;  eliminating overhead in communications, central billing and management; and achieving  cost savings in areas such as maintenance and insurance. The alliance has also enabled EmStar  owners Joseph Zupnik and Daniel Herman to focus more attention on their ambulance and other  health-care related businesses in New York"                                                                                                                                                                                                                         http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/print-edition/2014/04/25/feds-battling-to-put-the-brakeson-ambulance.html?s=print  Joseph Zupnik said “In this business, whether you are an employee or a  customer, you are only as good as your last ride,” http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/print-edition/2012/03/09/emstar-shines-after-25m-investment.html?s=print       (We believe that he was referring to ambulances)

FOCUS VENTURES: 3 count 'em 3! and..

From the NYS DOS website: http://appext20.dos.ny.gov/corp_public/CORPSEARCH.SELECT_ENTITY

Selected Entity Name: FOCUS VENTURES LLC Selected Entity Status Information Current Entity Name: FOCUS VENTURES LLC DOS ID #: 3976171 Initial DOS Filing Date: JULY 23, 2010 County: ROCKLAND Jurisdiction: NEW YORK Entity Type: DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY Current Entity Status: ACTIVE Selected Entity Address Information DOS Process (Address to which DOS will mail process if accepted on behalf of the entity) FOCUS VENTURES LLC 386 ROUTE 59 SUITE 300 MONSEY, NEW YORK, 10952 Registered Agent NONE Selected Entity Name: FOCUS REALTY VENTURES LLC Selected Entity Status Information Current Entity Name: FOCUS REALTY VENTURES LLC DOS ID #: 3976167 Initial DOS Filing Date: JULY 23, 2010 County: ROCKLAND Jurisdiction: NEW YORK Entity Type: DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY Current Entity Status: ACTIVE Selected Entity Address Information DOS Process (Address to which DOS will mail process if accepted on behalf of the entity) FOCUS REALTY VENTURES LLC 386 ROUTE 59 STE 300 MONSEY, NEW YORK, 10952 Registered Agent NONE Selected Entity Name: FOCUS HEALTH VENTURES LLC Selected Entity Status Information Current Entity Name: FOCUS HEALTH VENTURES LLC DOS ID #: 3976170 Initial DOS Filing Date: JULY 23, 2010 County: ROCKLAND Jurisdiction: NEW YORK Entity Type: DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY Current Entity Status: ACTIVE Selected Entity Address Information DOS Process (Address to which DOS will mail process if accepted on behalf of the entity) FOCUS HEALTH VENTURES LLC 386 ROUTE 59 SUITE 300 MONSEY, NEW YORK, 10952 Registered Agent NONE Or Is it 4? Current Entity Name: STERLING MANAGEMENT GROUP, LLC DOS ID #: 3050780 Initial DOS Filing Date: MAY 07, 2004 County: ROCKLAND Jurisdiction: NEW YORK Entity Type: DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY Current Entity Status: ACTIVE Selected Entity Address Information DOS Process (Address to which DOS will mail process if accepted on behalf of the entity) STERLING MANAGEMENT GROUP, LLC 386 ROUTE 59 SUITE 300 MONSEY, NEW YORK, 10952 Registered Agent NONE