News Release: PA Hospitals: State Budget Address Underscores Need for Bold Solutions to Help State’s Most Vulnerable

HAP Proposes Innovative Program to Address Patient Care Transitions

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf today delivered his fiscal year 2020–2021 budget address. In part, the $36 billion budget proposal emphasizes investments in workforce initiatives and additional support for vulnerable Pennsylvanians.

After the speech, Andy Carter, President and CEO of The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP), released the following statement:

“Pennsylvania’s hospitals are open all day, every day, to treat every patient—regardless of health status or ability to pay. We share Governor Wolf’s commitment to bolstering treatment resources for Pennsylvania’s most vulnerable residents. In fact, the state’s hospitals are innovators in this space, using scarce resources to implement community care assessments and determine how to keep patients out of the hospital.   

“The medical community has embraced the innovative idea that a patient’s health is not entirely dependent on the care they receive while in a hospital bed. It is refreshing to see Governor Wolf and government come around to this idea that a patient’s health is dependent on their own unique circumstances.

“These are community-specific issues and there is no one-size-fits-all quick fix. That’s why we are proposing a $100 million grant program to help facilities, communities, and government partner to find innovative solutions to help patients leave the hospital. During the coming months, we will work with lawmakers and the administration to underscore the need to make sure that people have access to safe and appropriate care outside of the hospital walls.

“Even as we promote innovative solutions to our biggest challenges, we also must ensure that our communities continue to have access to basic lifesaving care. Our state has more than 70 hospitals that are specially designated to provide obstetrics and neonatal, critical access, burn, and trauma care.

“Support for these facilities has not been increased in nine years, yet the cost of providing these specialized services continues to rise. Burn and trauma centers, and hospitals with obstetric and neonatal units need policymakers to restore cuts from previous years and ensure that these vital facilities remain open to treat our most critical patients.

“Pennsylvania stands at a health care crossroads and we face big issues that require bold, creative solutions. We look forward to working with the Wolf Administration and lawmakers, tirelessly advocating on behalf of Pennsylvania’s hospital community and the patients they serve.”