A brand new billboard alongside Interstate 85 close to Montgomery hopes to spur state motion to increase Medicaid, profiting from the monetary issues of an area hospital in Alabama's capital.
The message: “Save Jackson Hospital. Increase Medicaid Now,” sponsored by Cowl Alabama, factors to issues plaguing small well being care amenities throughout the nation and says Medicaid growth, thus far rejected by state lawmakers, would assist.
“This signal is a stark reminder that with out motion, extra hospitals might be pressured to shut, impacting households and economies throughout our state,” mentioned Debbie Smith, marketing campaign director for Cowl Alabama.
Cowl Alabama, a nonpartisan alliance of shopper teams, companies, well being care suppliers and faith-based teams advocating for higher well being protection, has partnered on the messaging mission with the American Most cancers Society's Most cancers Motion Community. Most cancers. The teams argue that Medicaid growth would strengthen entry to well being care in addition to the monetary well-being of the state's hospitals.
Earlier this yr, Montgomery's Jackson Hospital defaulted on about $60 million in Metropolis of Montgomery Medical Clinic Board Collection 2015 bonds, which comprise 86% of the hospital's long-term debt. . The admission got here as S&P defined in a press release why it had downgraded the hospital to “D” from “CC.”
Allen Wilen was named chief restructuring officer in September after the hospital defaulted on a bond.
However teams concerned on this marketing campaign say the hospital's issues are indicative of a bigger downside.
Based on a report from the Heart for Healthcare High quality and Cost Reform, Greater than half of Alabama's 52 rural hospitals are prone to closing, together with 23 that face an instantaneous risk. And it's half of a bigger nationwide downside: The report says rural hospitals are prone to closing in almost each state.
In most states, the report discovered, greater than 25% of rural hospitals are prone to closing, and in 10 states, greater than half.
Alabama is certainly one of 10 states that haven’t expanded Medicaid for low-income folks. Lately, a number of rural hospitals have been pressured to shut or cut back their providers. Alabama Hospital Affiliation officers have mentioned increasing Medicaid may increase the funds of rural hospitals and people serving low-income folks.
Retired brigand. Gen. Edward Crowell, chairman of Jackson Hospital's board of administrators, mentioned Medicaid growth would “be a game-changer, strengthening hospitals throughout the state and permitting us to proceed serving these in want.”
Jane Adams, the nationwide group's authorities relations director in Alabama, known as the signal an “pressing name to motion” and mentioned Gov. Kay Ivey ought to take be aware.
Ivey has mentioned on a number of events that he’s involved about how the state would pay the prices of increasing entry in the long run.
“We now have seen Thomasville Hospital shut in current weeks and different hospitals are decreasing their providers at an alarming price,” Adams mentioned. “That is not only a downside in rural areas.”