Print this story | E-mail story | This story has 9 comments Add your own | iPod friendly
photo by Steve VanGunda
Natchez Regional Hospital prenatal nurse Debbie Roberts checks on a newborn Friday afternoon. Labor and delivery accounts for a large amount of the hospital’s Medicaid reimbursements, CEO Scott Phillips said. Those reimbursements are at risk as the state decides how to overcome a Medicaid funding gap.
Medicaid cuts would hit hospitals hard
Published Saturday, July 19, 2008
NATCHEZ — If Gov. Haley Barbour’s plans to reduce the Medicaid reimbursement rate go through, Natchez hospitals could lose a combined $4.5 million annually.
CEO of Natchez Regional Medical Center Scott Phillips said while some may think the cuts announced last week won’t impact them — they will.
Phillips said if the cuts happen the hospital could potentially lose $2.5 to $3 million per year.
“That has to come from somewhere,” he said.
Phillips said if the hospital were to start losing that much money the loss would have to be covered by deriving more revenue from other areas or limiting services.
“This impacts everyone receiving healthcare,” he said.
But Phillips, like many others in the healthcare industry, is hoping some type of compromise can be reached before the cuts are put in place.
The cuts would be implemented to cover a $90 million deficit in the Medicaid program’s budget.
For months the Mississippi House and Senate have been unable to come to a compromise on how to fund the shortfall.
If no compromise is reached before Aug. 6 the cuts are ready to be implemented.
Phillips said if the cuts happen the hospital would have to make up the revenue from within the hospital.
“We would have to make comparable reductions,” he said.
But Phillips said the cuts should not impact the sale or lease of the facility, which NRMC officials have been preparing for.
Natchez Community Hospital’s CEO Tim Trottier said he was also not looking forward to the cuts either.
Trottier said Community is poised to lose approximately $1.5 million per year.
But Trottier said the hospital will have to absorb the loss.
“We’re financially strong,” he said of the hospital.
And Trottier said he has plans to counter the losses.
“We’ll attack this by growing our business,” he said.
While no one is looking forward to the pending cuts, changes in all types of funding are not uncommon Phillips said.
“It changes constantly,” Phillips said of funding norms. “It’s very dynamic and complex. This isn’t a new problem.”
Comments
Posted by oldschool (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 10:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This why the labor and delivery department was closed at Riverland Hospital a few years ago because of CUTS! Now all of there folks come to Natchez.
I think Medicaid should be like insurance for the younger generation to where they have a part to pay also. These GIRLS did not get pregnant by themselves. If the child is under age then the parents should be responsible to pay the bill along with them.
As far the elderly it should work more for them to where they pay nothing.
We need to get the STATE IN ORDER!!! We need to push for The young to work no matter what. IIf we STOP giving hand outs maybe this state could turn around.
There is a difference between ages and disabilities and the program needs a plan for each situation. This would help!!!
Posted by toosweet (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 11:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Oldschool, the problem is that their are few jobs and with the current state of the economy its only going to get worse. I have a Master's degree and I am having a hard time finding a job. Go figure!!
Posted by toosweet (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 11:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Oldschool, the problem is that there are few jobs and with the current state of the economy its only going to get worse. I have a Master's degree and I am having a hard time finding a job. Go figure!!
Posted by oldschool (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 2:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You are having a hard time finding a job cause it is a job you don't like or pay enough or not in your field of study? I would do anything if I could not find a job in my field. I would not want to loose what i have now but there is a job just not maybe the job you want.
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on July 19, 2008 at 7:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree with you oldschool....The young is being supported not the elderly....Thats kinda backwards...
Posted by starla (anonymous) on July 20, 2008 at 9:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Oldschool, hate to break it to ya, but jobs of any kind are hard to find right now!
Posted by niderbip (anonymous) on July 20, 2008 at 10:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Until you reduce the birth rates to unweds, it ain't going to be pretty.
Posted by Hardcorps (anonymous) on July 21, 2008 at 12:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Medicaid helped pay my father's nursing home bill when my mother, my siblings, and I could not care for him any longer.
Find a repugnantican in office and you will find someone cutting out help to those who need it the most. Our idiot president and fat lisping governor prove this.
barbour will keep his tobacco friends happy at any cost.
Posted by niderbip (anonymous) on July 21, 2008 at 5:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
paid as it should have.....
BUT, you'll break the system if we have to pay for every unwed's kidS birth. Unweds birth rates >70% ain't a good thing. And the taxpayer can't keep up with it any longer.
That's why "universal healthcare" will never work. want to insure EVERY birth? A noble ideal, but exactly how fast are those births coming?
Post a comment (Terms of Use Policy)
(Requires free registration.)