U of L Hospital officials urge Senate panel not to cut indigent care funding

University of Louisville Hospital officials urged a Senate panel Tuesday not to cut funding for its indigent care program because of uncertainty about signups under the Affordable Care Act. Hospital President Ken Marshall told the Senate Committee on Appropriations and Revenue that he hopes the state will maintain its ?historical contribution? of $20 million annually. Acting on the assumption that more people will gain insurance through the Affordable Care Act, Beshear slashed funding for the U of L program in his budget proposal to $9.1 million in the first year, and $6.4 million in the second.