Grace seeks more medical trust detail

BRENT SHRUM Western News Reporter

W.R. Grace management is "wide open to discussion" regarding creation of a medical trust fund for victims of asbestos-related disease but needs more specific information on the proposal, a company executive told local trust proponents Wednesday.

During a brief phone conference to follow up on initial discussions from March 29, Grace vice president for public and regulatory affairs Bill Corcoran said he has talked with the company's leadership team about the issue and found a willingness to move ahead with discussions on the proposal. He said the group working on the trust needs to provide more details about what it has in mind, however.

Corcoran was optimistic that a trust funded by Grace would get "a fair hearing" from the bankruptcy court that would have to approve such an expenditure. The court has allowed Grace to make necessary acquisitions and to continue funding its medical plan offered through Health Network America, he noted.

The group proposing the trust includes local government representatives and health care providers. Some progress was made during a recent meeting, but no figures are available yet, Lincoln County Commissioner Rita Windom told Corcoran. The group asked Corcoran for help getting statistics for 2004 and 2005 from HNA. Corcoran agreed to contact HNA and have the information passed along.

Windom said the group plans to meet again next Tuesday to start putting data together and will contact Corcoran when it's time to schedule another discussion.

The proposed trust would be governed by a local board of directors and provide a broader range of coverage than the Grace/HNA plan. The trust is intended to address concerns about the uncertain longevity of the Grace/HNA plan as well as about criteria for enrollment on the plan and how benefits are paid.