Honesdale, PA – Shapiro Administration officials joined rural health leaders at Wayne Memorial Hospital last week to highlight the devastating effects that proposed Medicaid cuts in Congressional Republicans’ budget bill would have on rural Pennsylvanians and health care providers.
Currently, proposed changes to Medicaid could strip health coverage from more than 300,000 Pennsylvanians, drive up health care costs, and put rural hospitals out of business. The bill would also make health care coverage unaffordable for an additional 270,000 Pennsylvanians who purchase insurance through Pennie.
Pennsylvania cannot backfill or absorb these additional costs, as the Medicaid cuts create an unprecedented and unfunded increase in administrative burden that will strain existing operations and divert resources from delivering services to Pennsylvanians.
Read what health care leaders are saying about the negative impacts of proposed federal Medicaid cuts:
“As a community-owned health care organization, Wayne Memorial remains committed to the provision of accessible quality care for all,” said Wayne Memorial Hospital CEO Jim Pettinato. “We are hopeful our legislators will be mindful of this as it pertains to any adjustments to Medicaid funding.”
“Proposed Medicaid cuts will put Pennsylvanians’ access to care in jeopardy, especially in rural areas, making our communities less healthy and economically competitive,” said Nicole Stallings, President and CEO of the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania. “Policies under consideration will cut already insufficient hospital payments, reduce coverage, and increase uncompensated care. Hospitals cannot absorb a sudden cut of this magnitude, and some will have no choice but to reduce services or close.”
“If we are unable to be paid our cost [for services through the Medicaid program], we would be unable to add additional services and maintain our traditional service lines,” said Endless Mountains Health System CEO Loren Stone. “That would mean patients would have longer travel times for that care. Access to care would be limited, and unfortunately, out migrations from rural communities will be an end result.”
“Community health centers, also known as federally qualified health centers, are the largest network of providers delivering primary care, behavioral health care, dental care, and vision services to more than one million Pennsylvanians every year,” said Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers CEO Shelly Riser. “Almost half the patients CHCs care for are enrolled in Medicaid. If the proposed Medicaid cuts go into effect, many of these individuals will become uninsured, resulting in an increase in uncompensated care. A surge in uninsured individuals could cause these health centers to shutter core services — such as medical, dental, or behavioral health — reduce hours, or close.”
“Barnes-Kasson Hospital has great pride in being a rural community care hub, providing a wide range of essential health care services. Barnes-Kasson Hospital is also one of the top 3 largest employers in Susquehanna County. In order to maintain our rural facility, adequate and stable Medicaid funding is absolutely essential,” said Barnes-Kasson County Hospital CEO Sara Adornato. “We cannot sustain robust health care services, required infrastructure, or essential employment without having a reimbursement system that supports those goals. Any reduction in Medicaid funding, let alone the large decreases currently proposed at the federal level, will have a real-world negative impact on access to health care services and employment. Rural health care providers cannot simply absorb this funding decrease. Decreases of this magnitude will be met with health care deserts from forced cuts to services and the further shuttering of rural hospitals.”
See what Pennsylvanians are reading and watching about the Administration’s efforts to bolster rural health and fight against federal cuts to the state’s Medicaid program:
WNEP: Medicaid cuts could impact rural health care
WVIA: Pa. Health Secretary, local leaders sound alarm on proposed Medicaid cuts during Wayne County visit
WBNG: Pennsylvania health officials say Medicaid cuts can severely harm rural residents
Wilkes-Barre Times Leader: Proposed federal Medicaid cuts and their impacts on rural communities discussed
Tri-County Independent: Consequences of Medicaid cuts would be dire, warn Wayne Memorial Hospital, state officials
Watch the full video, including an interview with Wayne Memorial Hospital CEO Jim Pettinato, Endless Mountains Health Systems CEO Loren Stone, and the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania President and CEO Nicole Stallings discussing the negative impacts of proposed Medicaid cuts on the Commonwealth’s hospitals and patients, on PAcast.
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