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Report: More Medicaid cuts would hurt Nevada hospitals
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STEPHENS WASHINGTON BUREAU
WASHINGTON -- Hospitals in Nevada are in poor shape to absorb further cuts in Medicaid spending that would be likely if Congress restructures the health insurance program, an industry official said Thursday.
Twenty of the 33 hospitals in the state are losing money, and insufficient Medicaid reimbursements are a factor, said Dwight Hansen, director of financial services for the Nevada Hospital Association.
Hansen said following a 5 percent cut in Medicaid payments enacted by the Legislature in 2008, Nevada hospitals are being reimbursed only 58 cents for every dollar of care they provide to low-income patients who participate in the federal-state health program.
A proposal in Congress that would convert federal Medicaid funding into block grants likely to shift more responsibility to states "would result in further reductions in Medicaid rates paid to hospitals," Hansen said.
"The only choice hospitals have is to begin reducing available services, and that in turn means the loss of hospital jobs," he said.
Hansen took part in the release of a report by Families USA, an advocacy group that generally supports Democratic initiatives on health care.
The group said a Medicaid block grant proposal embodied in a budget formed by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and passed by the Republican-controlled House earlier this year could mean as many as 5,480 job losses in Nevada over a decade.
Republicans say changes in Medicaid are necessary to stem fast-growing costs. They contend the block grants would be "tailored to meet state needs," and that states could offer care at less cost once freed of federal regulations.
Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., who voted against the Ryan budget, said Nevada's depressed economy leaves little room for sweeping changes in health care.
"The people I represent are in a world of hurt, and this would only add to their misery," Berkley said. "With the economy in the position it is in, the idea that we would be sacrificing jobs is ludicrous to me."
Contact Stephens Washington Bureau Chief Steve Tetreault at stetreault@stephensmedia.com or 202-783-1760.
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I love this "law" that says that all must be taken into emergency rooms and that their immigration status can not be asked or be a factor. I have yet to see what this law is,when it was passed and wy can it not be repealed. What other business can admit patients and then charge the taxpayers. How about the Sushi restaurant feeding a homeless man $200 worth of sushi and sending the county the bill? Or a hotel letting him sleep in a vacant suite for $400 a night and billing us? Or a clothier supplying suits? Where would it end? Hospitals are a for-profit enterprise. They should not be compelled to provide services to every malingering troll on the street.
And yes Judy you are right, the people making the decisions on who and what to cut are the one that need to take the cuts but they are never going to cut their own pay. The people need to take a stand against crooked politicians or it will never get better.
We don't need health care reform, we need to close our borders and have citizen reform. Take care of our own first and screw other countries feeding off of our weakness.
Well DLH if granny can't afford the wheelchair then maybe you can pay for it because I'm done. I'm tired of paying for every low life irresponsible POS's care that is unwilling to take care of themselves, so we have to. Death is imminent at some point if people can not make it on their own it is time to go. Stop punishing all the hard working people. The Obamination of a medical plan is BS and why should we all get stuck paying for the scum of society. If you want medical, get to work and pay for it yourself. Hey DLH maybe we should increase our welfare contributions too huh? You must be one of the leeches on society yourself to spout such garbage.
So, let me get this straight... It seems that prisoners in jail get better access and more affordable health care than good upstanding citizens do. Yeah, we need REAL health care reform...NOW and "PENNY HEALTH"!
Judy, How stupid do you really have to be to spout such garbage! Do yourself a favor educate yourself read more and stop watching MindlessNBC. By the way did you know Judy that Obama's Health Care bill calls for 500,000,000. in cuts to medicad & medicare? Now Judy that's 500Million for you, I know all those zero's make you dizzy! That's crazy ain't it ! WoW all those seniors being cut by Obumer's plan, those evil republicans pushing granny off a cliff in her wheel chair.
Only the Republicans want to cut seniors from medicare and children from medicaid. Why? Because they hate spending money on anyone but themselves.
A year and a little more ago, Harry Reid announced he'd made sure 24,000 new applicants had been approved for Medicaid in the State of Nevada...He took ALL the credit (and I truly believe him) and I think he should be thanked for tanking hospital and medical services in Nevada.
Maybe it's time for Mexico to pay for "ILLEGALS AND ANCHOR BABIES FREE MEDICAL ????" ------------------- I know American taxpayers have had more than enough of this "NONSENSE".