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Friday, June 07, 2013

Maryland Hospitals Caught In Financial Squeeze

Just a month after denying Maryland hospitals' request for a rate hike, the seven members of the state's Health Services Cost Review Commission reversed course and unanimously approved a 1.65 percent increase, which goes into effect next month. But this is only a temporary solution to a much larger problem that should be of great concern to all state residents who assume that a fully staffed hospital will always be available when they need it.

The commission usually sets rates for a full year. However, commissioners approved this one only until December, citing continued uncertainty over how the higher rates will affect Maryland's unique Medicare waiver.

Maryland is the only state in the nation that is allowed to regulate its own Medicare rates, which are the same no matter where a patient seeks care. But there's a caveat. In order to maintain the waiver, every three months Maryland health officials have to demonstrate that the average cost of a hospital stay is growing at a slower rate than the rest of the country. That's an increasingly difficult thing to do because the state's success in reducing hospital admissions has raised the average cost of inpatient care.

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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Have heard that the State of MD has restricted PRMC's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for failure to meet state regs. Is this true? If so it is very concerning!

Anonymous said...

It's all part of Obamacare. You are just beginning to see what this law is about to do. O'Malley decided to go along with Obama and set up a Health Exchange, which is a state mandated insurance company. In 2014 you will have no choice but to buy your insurance from the government. Go ahead people. Keep voting Democrat. How stupid can you be!.

Anonymous said...

Yes there are less and less folks to care for patients now. Employees are forced to be cut. All their benefits are being cut. They are loosing the two days vacation again after it was returned. Why would any qualified person want to work there. They cant even use a sick day until they are out over 5 days for which they are charged with vacation time. How ridiculous is that . Why do they even say they have sick time. Less staff Less Care....