Medicaid expansion helps hospitals

The state’s refusal to allow a federal expansion of Medicaid isn’t harming only smaller or medium-sized hospitals such as Mercy Hospital in Independence, which announced that it is closing next month. It is also weakening larger hospitals, including Wichita’s.

Not expanding Medicaid has cost Via Christi Health nearly $14 million in revenue each of the past two years. This loss, along with other challenges, caused Via Christi to reduce its full-time workforce by 110 positions during the past 18 months.

“Our financial pressures have been intensified because of the refusal of Gov. Sam Brownback and the Kansas state Legislature to approve expanding the KanCare Medicaid insurance program for the poor and vulnerable,” said Jeff Korsmo, president and CEO of Via Christi, which also has hospitals in Manhattan, Pittsburg and Wamego.

Wesley Medical Center is facing similar pressures – as are large hospitals in the Kansas City area and elsewhere. Smaller hospitals may be even more at risk, because they don’t have as many financial resources.

To their credit, some GOP state lawmakers are expressing more openness to expansion as they consider the importance of hospitals in their communities. They are particularly interested in a Kansas-focused approach to expansion, as the Kansas Hospital Association proposed earlier this year.

Unfortunately, the governor remains resistant. Koch-backed Americans for Prosperity also made clear during a legislative hearing last session that it would target any lawmaker who votes for expansion.

Such ideological obstinance and bullying are not only denying health insurance to about 150,000 needy Kansans; they are harming the hospitals that care for all Kansans.

For the editorial board, Phillip Brownlee

This story was originally published September 24, 2015 at 7:06 PM with the headline "Medicaid expansion helps hospitals."