OPTING OUT MAY NOT BE AN OPTION: Hospitals telling anti-health reform governors to expand Medicaid

[Marisel Brown]

You're going to see a major intensification of lobbying at the state level by the hospitals and the doctors," said John Gorman, a health-care consultant and former lobbyist. "They will scream for this money because they would rather see
more people covered under Obama's signature initiative than have bad debt."

Wall Street Journal June 29, 2012

     The Supreme Court's health reform ruling was good news for states that do not want to implement health reform.  They do not have to expand Medicaid coverage.  However, health reform will reduce Medicaid payments to hospitals that care for a significant proportion of uninsured patients in comparison to other hospitals. Reducing the number of uninsured patients was intended to soften the financial blow expected from lower reimbursement.  Governors who took the anti-Obamacare stance are in a political bind.  Hospitals will pressure state houses to move forward with expansion, but this means breaking from the anti-Obamacare voting block in conservative home districts.  Click on the  WSJ's link above to read the complete article.

 

 

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