I Smell Another Bailout Request

A recent article from the Washington Post points out how many hospitals are struggling financially. To summarize, they are not immune to the investment losses that the rest of the country is dealing with. Of course they also have the issue of many patients who do not pay their bills. Other problems include:

• donations are down


• patient visits are flat


• profitable diagnostic procedures and elective surgeries are declining


• possible Medicare and Medicaid cuts


• patients with high-deductible insurance who don't want to pony up

All this is leading to many hospitals closing their doors. Others are cutting down their staff or are eliminating services. They also have pared back on many upgrades. It just proves that a bad economy hits everyone, even the insulated medical system.

There is one small issue I have with this piece, however. The whole thing is given from the administrators perspective. Granted, they are the ones holding the purse strings but hospitals are notorious for not being transparent with their finances. There is no doubt in my mind that this whole article is a set-up by the American Hospital Association to help its members get in line for some of that federal bail out money. I could be wrong but my gut tells me otherwise. For many hospitals this money may be a life saver so I am not sure I am against them doing this. Wouldn't you want a hospital to be saved versus a Wall Street firm? I know I would. I only hope that some transparency does results from it. The article uses "threats" by administrators how they don't want to cut their medical staff but may have to. Why aren't the layers of administrators at risk? While we are at it, why aren't the CEOs salaries mentioned in this article? Cutting that back a smidgen would save a whole lot of nursing jobs.