If passed, GOP’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ could have negative impact on healthcare
JACKSON, Tenn. — One piece of legislation known as the “big, beautiful bill” is aiming to change how Medicare and Medicaid reimburses hospitals, but those changes could have a negative impact on patients, healthcare workers and local hospitals.
A new federal proposal is stirring up debate across Tennessee’s healthcare system.
“What we’re doing is rooting out waste, fraud and abuse and removing the ability of fraudsters, freeloaders, [and] illegal immigrants to have the benefits and services that are there for American citizens who deserve these benefits,” said Marsha Blackburn, U.S. Senator.
This legislation, better known as the “big, beautiful bill,” would revise how hospitals are paid for treating Medicaid and Medicare patients, which some medical professionals say could be detrimental.
“We did not expand the Medicare program a couple of years ago, and so, that left a lot of people uninsured or underinsured, and so, that’s already had a huge impact. So, any additional cuts to the Medicaid program or the Medicaid program are going to have negative impact financially for hospitals across the state,” said Amy Garner, chief compliance officer & communications officer for West Tennessee Healthcare.
Some lawmakers say it is not a cut to the program.
“What we are doing is strengthening Medicaid. There are no cuts,” said Blackburn.
But these changes could leave a lot of people without insurance or without access to the services that they really need.
“It’s going to impact access to healthcare in rural areas for people who don’t necessarily have the ability to drive long distances to get care. It could also impact services that are provided in rural areas because there’s a potential to have to close certain services,” said Garner.
The bill faces significant opposition in the senate and the hurdles it faces are largely because of the potential Medicaid cuts and its impact on the national debt. President Trump is pushing for the bill to be signed into law by July 4.
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