- Medicaid cuts threaten closure of Acadiana rural hospitals
- Texas flood relief: How to help
- Catholic Charities of Acadiana and KLFY to host supply drive for survivors of Texas Hill Country flooding
- David Thibodaux STEM Magnet Academy student wins gold at national speech & debate event
- Travis Decker sighting reported in Idaho, US Marshal's office investigating
Medicaid cuts threaten closure of Acadiana rural hospitals
0
LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- The potential loss of healthcare coverage for millions of Americans who have Medicaid is underway. Concerns are on the rise because rural hospitals could face the loss of medical care and services now that the big bill has been signed into law.
Last month, just before the One Big Beautiful Bill was approved, Massachusetts State Senator Edward Markey released a list of just over 300 hospitals across the nation that are at risk of reducing medical services, care or closing. Because of proposed cuts to healthcare in the bill, six Acadiana hospitals were on that list.
In a release, Markey not only listed rural hospitals that could be impacted by proposed tax cuts, but he also provided information on combined spending cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, the Affordable Care Act and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program totaling over $1.6 trillion. On the list of hospitals "at risk," 33 of them are in Louisiana, with six across Acadiana. The hospitals listed are located in St. Mary, Acadia, Evangeline and Iberia Parishes.
Although concerns about changes in funding to Medicaid have resulted in criticism of the bill, there has been support defending the bill's tax break for middle and working-class Americans according to the white house.
In a release from Iberia Medical Center, the hospital's CEO, Dionne Viator, said they are prepared for changes.
"As most of the public is aware, this bill continues to evolve, and we fully expect additional changes. Our leadership team is closely monitoring developments and engaging with policymakers and health care partners to understand the full scope of any proposed changes," said Viator. "We are committed to adapting as needed to continue providing uninterrupted care for our patients."
Viator maintains that the hospital has shown consistent profitability and is fiscally sound, prepared to adapt, and dedicated to caring for its community.
News 10 contacted the five other hospitals on the list for insight on how the proposed bill could impact patients, medical care and services, and one spokesperson informed us that although the bill has been signed into law, revisions are being made to about 500 pages, so they do not know what is going to happen. The remaining four hospitals, we have not heard back from them as of this news time.