PORT ANGELES – When a federal judge this week reversed the current administration’s “site-neutral reimbursement” policy that would have had Olympic Medical Center and other rural hospitals losing tens of millions of dollars, Congressman Derek Kilmer was one of those celebrating the decision.
The policy cut Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements by 30% this year for multi-campus regional hospitals like OMC, with another 30% cut scheduled for January.
Earlier this year, Rep. Kilmer introduced the Protecting Local Access to Care for Everyone (PLACE) Act (H.R. 2552) to halt the policy and help hospitals, including Olympic Medical Center, continue to provide affordable care in rural communities.
We asked Kilmer if the new legislation was designed to reimburse OMC for the revenues lost this year, and if he was confident that reimbursements would return to previous levels.
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The bill I introduced would do that. It would not only rescind the policy but it would make that rescission retroactive. The other thing though, and you asked about, you know, where things might go from here; I was able to get language in the Appropriations Bill expressing concern about this policy and asking the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to look specifically at the impacts on hospitals like OMC. They’re in what’s called a health professional shortage area, which means we already have a difficult time getting enough providers in our region. So this is I think really really important. I care a lot about Port Angeles. I care a lot about Olympic Medical Center. I was born in that hospital and I agree with you. They provide really good care to a really important community, not to mention the fact they’re one of the largest employers in the community. And so I just think it’s wrong-headed to have policies that jeopardize that care and jeopardize that employment.”
All parties in the lawsuit are required to submit a joint status report on October 1 to determine how they move forward.