Jefferson Healthcare commissioners will meet with State Reps. Steve Tharinger and Kevin Van De Wege in Olympia on Wednesday to discuss House Bill 2130, which cuts Medicaid reimbursement for critical access hospitals, and other legislative issues.
The special meeting will be from 3:45 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. in Van De Wege’s office at 434A Legislative Building.
House Bill 2130 removes cost-based reimbursement for critical access hospitals such as Jefferson Healthcare and Forks Community Hospital.
Critical access hospitals have 25 beds or less.
Olympic Medical Center, with 80 beds, is already paid below cost for treating Medicaid patients.
The 38 critical access hospitals in Washington receive more government payments to treat to higher percentage of poor and uninsured patients in rural areas.
The legislation introduced by state Reps. Eileen Cody and Ross Hunter requires the Health Care Authority to specify the way critical access hospitals are paid.
“If that [bill] would pass in way it is written it would have a huge negative impact on rural hospitals throughout the state of Washington,” said Jefferson Healthcare Commissioner Jill Buhler.
“Some would have to close their doors. Jefferson Healthcare is not among those, fortunately.
“However, it would impact us greatly.”
Buhler added: “Some smaller hospitals in eastern Washington could not sustain.”
Tharinger and Van De Wege, both Sequim Democrats, represent the 24th District, which covers Jefferson and Clallam counties and part of Grays Harbor County.