A letter to the editor in Rolla that sets the record straight on what Medicaid expansion means for rural Missouri! Rolla Daily News Save Texas County hospital I am distressed that our legislators, Sen. Mike Cunningham and Rep. Robert Ross, do not support the Texas County Memorial Hospital. I am alarmed that Houston, Missouris largest employer, with a $16 million payroll, is being financially distressed by the inaction of the Republican-controlled Missouri Legislature and could eventually close. Sen. Cunningham was in Houston Monday evening, Aug. 25. He told me that he and the majority of his constituents do not support Medicaid expansion and it is pointless to introduce legislation as it will not get through the Legislature. In the 26 states that expanded Medicaid, uncompensated care decreased immediately by 20 percent to 30 percent. Uncompensated care provided by the Texas County Memorial Hospital went from $2 million in 2004 to $6.5 million in 2013. In July TCMH wrote off $566,000 in uncompensated care, $330,000 due to emergency room visits. Large hospitals write off 5.4 percent of their gross revenue due to uncompensated care. TCMH writes off 8.4 percent of its gross revenue due to uncompensated care. Of the 12,000 to 13,000 visits per year to the TCMH emergency room a full 80 percent of patients have no primary care doctor. Missouri has lost $1.5 billion of federal compensation to hospitals by not expanding Medicaid. A recent urban study shows a cost of $1.5 billion to Missouri for Medicaid expansion with a return of $17.8 billion to the Missouri health care system, the largest sector of the Missouri economy after agriculture. Any businessman would jump at that rate of investment and return. Please contact Robert Ross at 573-751-1490 and Mike Cunningham at 573-751-1882 if you are concerned about the future of Missouri hospitals. Let them know you do not want to see more staff cuts at TCMH. Tell them about friends and family who may not have survived the drive to Rolla, West Plains or Springfield when they needed emergency care. Express your concern about the potential loss of a $16 million payroll and the impact it would have on our area. Ask Ross and Cunningham why the agenda of the Republican National Committee to kill Obama Care trumps the health and wellbeing of their constituents. Peter Maki Houston, Missouri
Posted on: Fri, 03 Oct 2014 19:42:01 +0000
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