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- Alan Levine is Chairman and CEO of Ballad Health.
In Washington’s political culture, sticking to principles seems difficult, especially when it’s the right thing to do.
But earlier this year, Tennessee Senator Bill Haggerty showed that it can be done, even in the middle of a controversial Congress.
The U.S. Congress has been working towards a settlement package, which has finally passed. At the same time, the Biden administration was pushing for faster confirmation of nominations for the Department of Health and Human Services.
Senator Hagerty was faced with a choice. He will either endorse government-nominated candidates or use his endorsement power to oppose a settlement bill that could and is likely to crumble hospitals in the country. Tennessee.
At the time, the settlement package included a $100 billion funding cut to ensure access to health care for Tennessee’s poorest residents. The Disproportionate Share Hospital Funding Program helps doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, and hospitals cover the costs of providing care to people who need it but cannot afford it . The cuts, made without input from the medical community, would have devastated local safety-net hospitals and the communities in which they are located.
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Hospital closures are devastating
As Tennessee’s rural and urban hospitals continue to emerge from the financial ruin, labor shortages, and massive inflationary pressures on supply costs left by the pandemic, each organization’s commitment to care for every patient will continue to grow. I will not waver.
Already, many hospitals across the country have begun cutting services, limiting capacity and unfortunately closing completely. it’s already happening.
Recently, a large metro hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, which served a large number of uninsured patients, closed. And when this happens in rural areas, the impact is noticeable. Studies show that it increases the number of deaths in the community, undermines the economic viability of the community and reduces the vitality of the community.
Further cuts to programs that help these hospitals maintain access to care will no doubt lead to more closures than ever before.
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Why Hagerty’s Position Matters
The reality of post-pandemic hospitals, especially those serving large numbers of Medicare, Medicaid, and uninsured patients, as well as in Northeast Tennessee and other large areas of Tennessee, is dangerously high. Vulnerable.
It is important that national leaders understand this and continue to pay attention to these issues. Without a deliberate effort to solve these problems, they will solve themselves. Through closure and loss of access to rural America, which makes up his 85% of America’s land mass.
Had the Senate been split 50-50, Senator Hagerty could have easily made the safe choice. But instead of choosing the easy course of betrayal, he made the decision to stand firm in enabling Tennessee to care for its most vulnerable.
On behalf of one of Tennessee’s critical safety net healthcare systems, we thank Senator Bill Haggerty and hope he continues to support us.
Alan Levine is Chairman and CEO of Ballad Health.
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