Proposal to Cut Hospital Satellite Reimbursements Scrapped

(WIBC Photo/Eric Berman)

A proposal to reduce reimbursements to hospitals for satellite services has been removed from a bill at the Indiana Statehouse. Our partners at WIBC-FM report an amendment to House Bill 1004, added by a senate committee last week, would have caused hospitals to receive less for services performed at off-site locations such as outpatient surgery centers or MRI facilities.

Representatives of hospitals throughout the state gathered Monday at the Statehouse to protest the amendment. The Indiana Hospital Association says the amendment would have resulted in increased costs and administrative burden for hospitals.

“These services, including cancer treatment and women’s care centers, are held to the same high standards as if they were provided in the four walls of a hospital and are subject to the same regulations,” IHA President Brian Tabor said in a press release. “Just like a hospital, these facilities offer the same expert clinical staff and the latest life-saving technology.”

Tabor said the amendment would have forced hospitals to discontinue services and reduce staff, making it more difficult for Hoosiers to receive care, particularly in rural areas.

According to WIBC/Network Indiana Statehouse Bureau Chief Eric Berman, the amendment was stripped from the bill by a unanimous voice vote. He says some senators expressed embarrassment for initially voting for the proposal without taking the time to fully understand it.

You can read more on the story from WIBC by clicking here.