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Updated: 3:11 PM Feb 15, 2008
Budget Cuts to Affect Hospitals?
Governor Tim Kaine announced a revised revenue forecast for fiscal years 2008 through 2010 earlier this week.
Posted: 1:58 PM Feb 15, 2008 |
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1 Comments 
Governor Tim Kaine announced a revised revenue forecast for fiscal years 2008 through 2010 earlier this week. It shows a shortfall of nearly $1.4 billion.
One proposal addressing the shortfall eliminates the annual inflation adjustment normally provided to hospitals for Medicaid for 2009 and 2010, which would save $24 million in 2009 and $26 million in 2010.
However, beyond the proposed lack of the inflation adjustment, Virginia hospitals already do not receive full reimbursement for Medicaid patients.
Mike King of RMH says consumers wind up paying the price.
He says, "Well, we view that as kind of a hidden tax on the consumers because what happens is your health insurance and your hospital bills are both higher to cover for those people who don't pay."
King says hospitals in Virginia currently average about a 75 percent government reimbursement for Medicaid.
Latest Comments
I think some of the hospitals could cut down on waste too. Hospitals are the most wasteful facilities I have ever seen, and there is no excuse for it. Who pays? The consumer pays! They let the water run unnecessarily, leave lights on day and night and in office areas not used at night, and waste medical supplies like there's no tomorrow! I can understand we're dealing with more infectious, incurable diseases than we were 30 years ago, but I think disposable products should be used for the isolation units and for patients with these disease and not everyone. Disposable products are incredibly expensive!
