Ohio Hospital Association Criticizes Senate Health Care Bill

The Senate bill that would roll-back the Affordable Care Act is drawing concern from Ohio’s hospitals.

The Ohio Hospital Association says if the Republican-backed healthcare bill passes, more Ohioans will be uninsured, resulting in less preventative care and more emergency room visits.

The hospital association’s spokesman John Palmer says hospitals absorb most of the cost of emergency room visits by people who can’t pay.  He adds, if ER costs increase, it can lead to cuts.

“Staff reductions, it could mean the elimination of programs,” Palmer says. “Hospitals are making decisions to ensure healthcare services are provided in their community. But they need to have the resources to do that.”

Among other things, the Senate bill would phase out Medicaid expansion. Roughly seven hundred thousand Ohioans receive health care coverage under the expansion today.