LHA "Extremely Disappointed" by Reimbursement Cuts on Louisiana Medical News

LHA "Extremely Disappointed" by Reimbursement Cuts

Hospitals Target of Excessive Cuts

John Matessino, LHA President & CEO

May 1, 2009

Today, the Department of Health and Hospitals issued additional Medicaid cuts to hospitals in the form of Emergency Rules reducing reimbursement to non-state, non-rural hospitals. This reduction is on top of cuts issued in February of this year and cuts issued in the Governor’s Executive Budget.

I am extremely disappointed in the administration’s decision to further reduce hospital reimbursement, which continues to weaken our hospitals’ ability to serve their communities. When there is a biological crisis such as the H1N1 flu or other natural disasters such as hurricanes, communities rely on their hospitals to be there 24/7. These cuts are devastating.

The LHA has prepared a map of the cuts that hospitals are facing and the estimated job losses as a result of the cuts currently contained in HB 1, the Appropriations Bill.

For a copy of the map, readers can click the "More.." selection below.

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