Obamacare Cutbacks Shut Hospitals Where Medicaid Went Unexpanded

[xchrom]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-25/obamacare-cutbacks-shut-hospitals-where-medicaid-went-unexpanded.html


A chain-link fence surrounds a closed medical center in New Orleans.

Pam Renshaw had just crashed her four-wheeler into a bonfire in rural Folkston, Georgia, and her skin was getting seared in the flames. Her boyfriend, Billy Chavis, pulled her away and struggled to dial 911 before driving her to the nearest place he could think of for medical attention: an ambulance station more than 20 miles away.

The local public hospital, 9 miles from the crash, had closed six weeks earlier because of budget shortfalls resulting from Obamacare and Georgia’s decision not to expand Medicaid. The ambulances Chavis sought were taking other patients to the next closest hospital. It took two hours before Renshaw, in pain from second- and third-degree burns on almost half her body, was flown to a hospital in Florida.

At least five public hospitals closed this year and many more are scaling back services, mostly in states where Medicaid wasn’t expanded. Patients in areas with shuttered hospitals must travel as far as 40 miles (64 kilometers) to get care, causing delays that can result in lethal consequences, said Bruce Siegel, chief executive officer of America’s Essential Hospitals, a Washington-based advocacy group for facilities that treat large numbers of uninsured or low-income patients.

“Everyone in a community will be affected,” Siegel said. “We could see the end of life-saving services, and patients would bear the brunt.”

[KG]

1. 'affordable'

'care'

[brush]

2. A red state where the gov. decided not to expand Medicaid. . .

and leave thousands without care even though the Federal Government would have footed the bill.

Must be Obama's fault and not the uncaring repug governor, right?

[Javaman]

11. ...

[MoonRiver]

3. And yet these scum governors, one of whom runs my state, are never called to account

by local, state or national media. They are scoundrels and need to be run out of office.

[Scuba]

4. Spinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!

[Motown_Johnny]

5. Conservatives did this. The SCOTUS and the (R) Governors of these states.

The Supreme Court changed the law to allow states to opt out of the Medicaid expansion and then many (R)s did exactly that.


I know this sucks, but in the long run this law is better than what we had. The transition phase is hard. No doubt about that at all.


This will be a major issue in 2016 and the clear differences between the states that accepted the changes and the ones that fought them will be an advantage for us.

We can fix this, but it will take time.

[newfie11]

6. The news media of course will blame this on Obama

The fact that these governors refused the help from the Federal Government for 3 years will never be told.

[ProSense]

7. Republican governors take critical care away from everyone by refusing Medicaid expansion

Republican governors take critical care away from everyone by refusing Medicaid expansion
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024091268

[spanone]

12. ^^^^^^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^^^^

[HereSince1628]

8. Because saying "providers seek cost savings in cancer treatment, mental health and infant care"

by closing their doors wouldn't be appropriate for a Bloomberg headline.

[MiniMe]

9. Another cut to benefits and services that they are trying to blame on Obamacare

[winter is coming]

10. What a logic fail.

Yeah, we've going to have close the hospital because those people who didn't have insurance before Obamacare still don't have insurance.

How about, "Georgia's refusal to expand Medicaid under the ACA leads to hospital closures"?

[arthritisR_US]

14. That would be honesty in a title. This is so

reminiscent of dkf....

[ananda]

13. Reeps who refused Medicaid expansion caused this problem!

..

[arthritisR_US]

15. Yep, they just keep on piling onto their immoral

behaviour.

[FarCenter]

16. The hospital in Folkston was $6 million in debt accumulated ove years

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024090905

[B Calm]

17. The cons have taken their art of finger pointing

to a new level. It would be comical if there wasn't so many dumb assholes that actually believe this garbage!