PA Hospital Association Credits Legislature and Governor for Passage of State Budget that Protects Patient Access to Care
The Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) today issued the following statement from President and CEO Carolyn F. Scanlan in response to timely passage of a 2012-2013 state budget, which includes funding for hospital payments and important funding for health and human services programs:
“We appreciate that during this difficult economic environment, the General Assembly and the Corbett administration recognized, in the passage of the 2012-2013 state budget, the important role that hospitals play in providing healing, health, and hope to Pennsylvania communities. The final budget agreement protects patient access to critical health care services in the commonwealth.
“The final budget funds hospital payments, which allow Pennsylvania hospitals to take care of mothers and newborns, allows funding for burn centers, trauma centers, small hospitals, continued training of doctors, and allows hospitals to remain economic anchors in communities across the state.
“We are the safety net of last resort for the most vulnerable patients. The decisions in regard to human services funding are critical at a time when Pennsylvania hospitals see growing needs for those with physical, behavioral health, and substance abuse conditions.
“With a strong emphasis on economic development and job growth, the final budget restorations ensure that health care in general, and hospitals in particular, remain indispensable job creators at a time when job creation remains a top concern of citizens and policymakers. Pennsylvania’s hospitals account for nearly 600,000 jobs, and have an economic impact of nearly $100 billion a year.
“In this volatile fiscal environment, the state budget gives Pennsylvania hospitals some stability as hospitals face a January 2013 federal payment reduction of 2 percent in Medicare payments as a result of the Congressional deficit reduction sequester, and $7.7 billion in payment reductions that will be absorbed by hospitals as part of federal health insurance reform and state Medicaid expansion.”
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