Hospital Highlights

I’m sure you are wondering what the Supreme Court decision on the Affordable Care Act really means. The Affordable Care Act is designed to accomplish several things including the expansion of Medicaid to many low-income adults, the creation of the health insurance exchange, subsidies within the exchange to help low-income and moderate-income families purchase coverage, and the individual mandate. The other provisions upheld include the coverage of children up to age 26 on their parents’ insurance, non-discrimination for pre-existing conditions and lifting of the lifetime caps.

The Supreme Court decision gives states the option to expand Medicaid coverage to very low-income adults rather than requiring the expansion. People who will be covered by this expansion are working at low-wage jobs but currently ineligible for Medicaid.

The United States Supreme Court decision is hugely significant. The Medicaid expansion was to be funded by reducing hospital payments over the next 10 years, a reduction of nearly $2.7 billion in Washington State alone. In turn, hospitals would see more patients with Medicaid coverage and fewer uninsured. Even though the expansion may not happen, the reductions remain with the same level of uncompensated care.

Regardless of this decision, WHMC will continue to improve care through our continual focus on increasing quality, creating efficiency and a great care environment as well as investing in health care information technology.

Expectations to care for more people at a lower cost will continue. Through bundled payments and value-based purchasing, the law sets a goal of changing how hospitals are paid, shifting reimbursement from payment per service to payment per patient or per condition for the full course of treatment over a longer time period. This includes increasing the focus on prevention and better outcomes.

Debbie Glass, CEO

Whitman Hospital and Medical Center