Healthcare Groups Speak Out Against Budget Cuts
By: Louisiana Hospital Association / Sean Prados
The Louisiana Hospital Association (LHA), the Metropolitan Hospital Council of New Orleans and the Louisiana Ambulance Alliance joined forces in a press event at the Capitol to urge lawmakers and the governor to restore healthcare cuts in HB 1, the general appropriations bill.
The healthcare industry is currently facing $400 million in proposed cuts, with $200 million of those cuts directly affecting hospitals and $3.6 million directly affecting ambulance providers.
John Matessino, president and CEO of the LHA, said these cuts are a “huge burden on a system that is already struggling. The healthcare industry and hospitals cannot absorb this magnitude of cuts. Hospital services in communities all over the state will be reduced. This is not the story of the boy who cried wolf. This is a reality.”
HB 1 is expected to be reported by the Senate Finance Committee and move to the Senate Floor for a full vote early this week.
The LHA is urging Louisiana's Hospital employees to e-mail or call their State senator using the Senate Switchboard at (225) 342-2040 and call Gov. Jindal at (225) 342-7015, and tell them how these cuts will affect their hospitals and communities.
Excerpted from the LHA's weekly newsletter Impact Weekly dated 5/29/09
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