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CCHCC CONSIDERS CHARGING OUT OF COUNTY RESIDENTS MORE
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009 -- 4:29 pm
Posted by Riley Hebert-News Director
Clark County officials are looking into a loophole that could allow them to charge out-of-county residents at the Health Care Center more than in-county residents.
Jane Schmitz is the Executive Director of the Clark County Health Care Center near Owen. She says a majority of their roughly 200 residents are on Medicaid. The current per-day cost for residents is about $159. It’s estimated the facility loses about $30 per day on Medicaid patients. So, the facility runs a roughly $1.5-million deficit, that is offset with county tax dollars.
One-third of their residents are from out-of-county. Many in the county believe those residents should pay more.
But, federal rules ban facilities from charging Medicaid patients more than Medicaid pays.
La Crosse County believes they have found a loophole. They’ve started a non-profit organization to basically funnel money to their county-run facility.
"That board has an operating agreement to provide services to the other counties in (the region). By doing that, they are in essence, taking money above and beyond the Medicaid rates," Schmitz explains.
La Crosse County has sought an opinion from the Attorney General on the legality of the arrangement. That opinion will dictate if Clark County follows suit.
The sub-committee that oversees the Health Care Center is watching that case closely. They have expressed an interest in pursuing a similar arrangement.
"If it is approved, Clark County would follow a pretty similar model. The structure is there. It's anticipated it will take six to nine months...to move forward. That could definitely impact our 2010 budget," she says.
Schmitz says observers believe the opinion could be issued in the next few weeks.
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