Reimbursements Raised for Hospitals: County Agrees to Pay More for Medical Care for Indigent Patients
Posted on: Wednesday, 14 June 2006, 06:00 CDT
By Karen Garloch, The Charlotte Observer, N.C.
Jun. 14--In response to a plea from Carolinas HealthCare System, Mecklenburg County commissioners last week approved the first reimbursement increase in years for hospitals that provide medical care for the uninsured.
Since 1995, the county has reimbursed Carolinas HealthCare and Presbyterian Hospital, Charlotte's other major hospital system, for $17.8 million in medical care for those who could not pay.
Carolinas Medical Center, the largest hospital in the public Carolinas HealthCare System, receives almost all of the county money because doctors there treat more indigent patients than those at Presbyterian.
Under an agreement with Mecklenburg County, the hospitals must spend at least 3 percent of net patient revenue on indigent care before they can receive any county money.
Last week, commissioners approved an increase of $906,000 -- for a total of $19.8 million -- to be divided by Carolinas HealthCare and Presbyterian, depending on the volume of charity care each provides. In addition, commissioners approved $1.2 million for Carolinas HealthCare to expand its hours of treatment at clinics for the uninsured.
Greg Gombar, Carolinas HealthCare's chief financial officer, said the hospital had asked for about $400,000 more, but is pleased with the additional reimbursement for indigent care.
"We couldn't do anymore without additional help," he said.
At a meeting of the Carolinas HealthCare board Tuesday, Gombar said the average N.C. hospital spends 19.3 percent of its costs on patients who are uninsured or covered by Medicaid, the government health program for low-income people. Carolinas HealthCare spends 25 percent, he said.
In 2005, he said, Carolinas HealthCare spent $116 million on indigent care compared to Presbyterian's $18.7 million.
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Copyright (c) 2006, The Charlotte Observer, N.C.
Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.
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Source: The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, N.C.)
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