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What Perry's Stance on Medicaid Expansion Means to Texas Hospitals
Steve Love, CEO of the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council, which represents 75 hospitals, noted that Perry's actions are a double whammy to hospitals, which as part of the PPACA negotiations agreed to cuts in their DSH or disproportionate share hospital payments in exchange for an expanded Medicaid program.
Hospitals now face having fewer resources to offset the costs of uncompensated care.
Love sees the Medicaid expansion with its federal backing as a way for Texas to get a sustainable Medicaid plan in place. "It gives us time to plan."
For now Michael Speer, MD, president of the Texas Medical Association, holds out hope that the Medicaid expansion will progress along the same lines as the federal CHIP (Children's health Insurance Plan) did when it was first introduced. "A lot of states said no at first but then they began to see the results. Within a few years every state was participating."
Margaret Dick Tocknell is a reporter/editor with HealthLeaders Media.
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Comments are moderated. Please be patient.
Lou DeNino (7/27/2012 at 12:14 PM)
I think there is penty of room for negotiation between Texas and HHS on perhaps phasing-in expansion of medicaid in exchange for waivers allowing Texas to launch an "experiment" in tailoring benefits and co-pays for medicaid beneficiaries. It could be a win-win and Texas could take the credit and claim victory. It's all in how you spin it.
Karen Willingham (7/12/2012 at 1:08 PM)
I'm hoping that the political factors do not play a part in the healthcare structure that has been set forth by our President and that over time many states will allow the plan to role out and see the benefit in providing healthcare for everyone. This will benefit the economy by increasing the employment market, with healthcare growing as rapidly as it is, this is sure to bring even more jobs in healthcare. We need to stop fighting the programs that are going to benefit the people, help the needy, and the economy.