Local hospitals will be in critical condition if budget cuts pass
SUNNYSIDE -- Under proposed Bill 2130, 38 hospitals across the state would face unprecedented cuts in Medicaid payments.
These hospitals, classified as "critical access," are all located in rural areas.
In our area, there's Kittitas Valley Hospital in Ellensburg, Sunnyside Community Hospita, Prosser Memorial Hospital and Lourdes Medical Center in Pasco.
State Representatives Ross Hunter and Eileen Cody submitted the measure on behalf of the governor. Representative Hunter tells KIMA it's supposed to save $30 million by funding rural hospitals at the same rate as larger facilities.
Hospitals across the state need to be paid in a way that causes them to behave efficiently."
"Critical access" hospitals argue they need more money because of they have a lot of Medicaid patients.
Sunnyide Community spokesperson Tom Lathen says the hospital is working to prevent losing any of its 400 employees or clinics.
"The potential is a five-million dollar cut in our budget and it's a potential we're taking quite seriously," Lathen said.
While it's too early to tell what these potential cuts will mean to Sunnyside Community Hospital, Lathen tells us he's already seen what cuts of this measure have meant to other hospitals.
Weeks ago, nearby Prosser Memorial laid off employees in anticipation of state cuts- totaling 44 percent of its budget.
"It's a crisis when anyone loses a job," Lathen said.
"The reality is that we fired most of the faceless bureaucrats and now were down to the people who have faces and are in our community providing services to people in need. This is a very difficult budget and there will be cuts in it that no one thinks are a good idea," Representative Hunter said.
The question is: would you still get the right care when you need it most?
These hospitals, classified as "critical access," are all located in rural areas.
In our area, there's Kittitas Valley Hospital in Ellensburg, Sunnyside Community Hospita, Prosser Memorial Hospital and Lourdes Medical Center in Pasco.
State Representatives Ross Hunter and Eileen Cody submitted the measure on behalf of the governor. Representative Hunter tells KIMA it's supposed to save $30 million by funding rural hospitals at the same rate as larger facilities.
Hospitals across the state need to be paid in a way that causes them to behave efficiently."
"Critical access" hospitals argue they need more money because of they have a lot of Medicaid patients.
Sunnyide Community spokesperson Tom Lathen says the hospital is working to prevent losing any of its 400 employees or clinics.
"The potential is a five-million dollar cut in our budget and it's a potential we're taking quite seriously," Lathen said.
While it's too early to tell what these potential cuts will mean to Sunnyside Community Hospital, Lathen tells us he's already seen what cuts of this measure have meant to other hospitals.
Weeks ago, nearby Prosser Memorial laid off employees in anticipation of state cuts- totaling 44 percent of its budget.
"It's a crisis when anyone loses a job," Lathen said.
"The reality is that we fired most of the faceless bureaucrats and now were down to the people who have faces and are in our community providing services to people in need. This is a very difficult budget and there will be cuts in it that no one thinks are a good idea," Representative Hunter said.
The question is: would you still get the right care when you need it most?
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