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HOSPITAL GROUP SUPPORTS HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL
Wednesday, March 24th, 2010 -- 12:21 pm
Posted by Riley Hebert-News Director
An organization representing Wisconsin’s rural hospitals is “cautiously optimistic” the health care reform legislation signed into law Tuesday will help its members.
Jeremy Levin is the Director of Advocacy for Rural Wisconsin Health Coopertives, which represents 35 hospitals in the state. He says many provisions in the bill will impact other states more.
"Wisconsin has a very high percentage of insured individuals," Levin explains, "but, rural Wisconsin does have more uninsured individuals. It is more likely to help rural Wisconsin more."
RWHC credits Rep. Ron Kind (D-La Crosse) for getting a "value index" included in the bill, which should bring more equitable Medicare funding to the state.
"Wisconsin tends to spend less per Medicare beneficiaries than many other states, and in two of the last three years, Wisconsin has ranked number one for health care quality," he notes. "So, not only do we do it for less, but we do it better."
RWHC hasn’t taken a position on socialized medicine, but this legislation isn’t that; it's more a streamlining of the current employer-sponsored system, Levin argues.
"If you have employer sponsored health care benefits right now, this bill really won't do anything for you."
Hospitals should see an improvement in their Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement rates, but Levin admits only time will tell exactly how well the new system will work.
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