WHEELER’S EFFORTS COULD RESULT IN INCREASES FOR RURAL HOSPITALS IN KY

WHEELER’S EFFORTS COULD RESULT IN LARGEST MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT INCREASES FOR RURAL HOSPITALS IN KENTUCKY HISTORY

FRANKFORT, KY (April 1, 2024)—The following is a statement from Sen. Phillip Wheeler, R-Pikeville, upon Thursday’s final passage of Senate Bill 280, which directs the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to submit a new pre-print to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services requesting the same reimbursement rates for services delivered at university hospital. If approved by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, it will result in the largest reimbursement increases for Level II, III, and IV trauma centers in Kentucky history:

“The passage of Senate Bill (SB) 280 is a major win for rural health care in the commonwealth,” said Wheeler. “While our major university-operated health care facilities do a fantastic job of providing world-class care to our residents, we can’t forget the crucial role that our small private hospitals play in providing Kentuckians with care, oftentimes in their most urgent times of need.

The passage of SB 280 directs the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to submit a new pre-print to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to create the Kentucky Medicaid Assistance Program (KMAP) reimbursement program for Level II, III, and IV trauma centers across the Commonwealth.  If approved, this will result in the largest Medicaid Reimbursement increases for rural Hospitals in Kentucky history by allowing them to receive the duplicate reimbursements that either the University of Kentucky College of Medicine or the University of Louisville School of Medicine receive.

“In the 31st Senate District, our regional health care system is a major economic driver for our regional workforce. Not only will this legislation boost residents’ quality of care in rural Kentucky, it will also ensure more of our small hospitals keep their doors open, which in turn keeps good-paying jobs throughout rural Kentucky and particularly in eastern Kentucky.”

CLICK HERE to find more information about Senate Bill 280 and read it in its entirety.