In the present economic downturn, many states have decreased their spending, particularly in the area of public health. That's why it's gratifying to see City Council, the Department of Public Welfare and the General Assembly working together to bring more dollars into the state so we can actually improve care for the Uninsured and Medicaid eligible population in Philadelphia.

Quick Fact! Just because a person has Medical Assistance Health Coverage, that doesn't mean they can find a doctor! Most doctors around here refuse to accept Medical Assistance, that's why the Federally Qualified Health Centers and the City's Health Centers are so important.

Council took the first step yesterday to move a plan that will move millions more dollars into our hospitals and health centers. PUP is especially excited because the Department of Health believes that these new funds should enable them to bring wait times at City Health Centers down to less than 30 days and improve health care by implementing electronic records throughout all city facilities (including jails and youth centers).

More details in the jump!

Yesterday, City Council's Committee of the Whole voted unanimously to move a piece of legislation (No. 080465) to the floor of Council with a positive recommendation. This legislation will levy an assessment on all Philadelphia Hospitals. Most of that assessment will be transferred to the State. The State has to pass authorizing legislation on this, too, and Rep. Evans has already submitted the required legislation. Several million dollars will stay in Philadelphia, though, to supplement funds for our Health Centers.

The State will use the money from the hospitals to pay hospitals back for emergency room care of people eligible for Medical Assistance. This payment will enable them to draw down Federal matching dollars for the same purpose.

What this should mean is that more money, overall, will be in our hospitals, not less. Though, some will definitely be assessed more than they get back. Others will be assessed less than what they get back, though, and we hope the formula will favor hospitals that try the hardest to really serve the community.

The City and State showed how important this effort is to both bodies by turning out Deputy Mayor Schwartz and Public Welfare Secretary Estelle Richman to testify before Council on behalf of the measure.

The Hospital Association (in the form of the Delaware Valley Healthcare Council) came out to say that they couldn't endorse the plan at this point. They said they didn't trust the state to get enough back to hospitals after the assessment that it wouldn't, in the end, hurt some hospitals. I suppose their showing some form of solidarity, as there will be losers in the scheme, but hospitals will be more flush overall and no one is disputing that.
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The Philadelphia Unemployment Project

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