SAINT CLARE'S ADDRESSES MEDICAID REBASING BY STATE OF NEW JERSEY

06/12/2009

The hospital industry is facing many challenges.  In the past two years, nine acute care hospitals have closed their doors, and six have filed for bankruptcy. In a two-year period our state has experienced an 11 percent reduction in our total number of acute care facilities. In addition, half of the state’s hospitals operate in the red, and our country is in the throes of the biggest economic crisis our generation has experienced. Because of growth in unemployment, the number of uninsured is increasing. 

Saint Clare’s Health System, along with many other New Jersey hospitals and health systems, and the New Jersey Hospital Association, are opposing the state’s proposed rebasing of Medicaid rates. The process being used by the state to determine the rebasing, redistributes vital funds, creating “winners and losers.” One major concern for Saint Clare’s, as well as many hospitals statewide, is that although the state has indicated it is trying to protect large behavioral health providers, the approach to rebasing used by the state actually hurts them.

In the coming weeks, you will see a higher level of media attention paid to Medcaid rebasing. Saint Clare’s, as one of the largest hospital-based providers of behavioral health, is already working closely with our local elected officials to support Saint Clare’s and encourage state government to delay any implementation of rebasing until a more equitable alternative is found.

Click here for the latest comments sent by Saint Clare’s to the state government in regards to the proposed rebasing.

In addition, we have written to our elected leaders and influential members of government in Trenton to encourage their support for Saint Clare’s and other hospitals which would be adversely affected by the rebasing.

Click here for a letter that was sent to State Senator Anthony Bucco. A similar letter was distributed to others in government including:

Senator Richard J. Codey
Senator Joseph F. Vitale
Senator Joseph Pennacchio
Senator Steven V. Oroho
Assemblyman Louis D. Greenwald
Assemblyman Jay Webber
Assemblyman Rick Merkt
Assemblyman Michael Carroll
Assemblyman Alex DeCroce
Assemblywoman Alison McHose
Assemblyman Gary R. Chiusano

We encourage our community to write to their elected officials and to the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services in support of New Jersey Hospitals and opposing the implementation of the proposed rebasing.

Return to News Headline Listing.