Study: Atlanta hospital most vulnerable to Medicaid cuts
If the Obamacare revision the U.S. House of Representatives passed in May became law, the Georgia hospital to lose the most Medicaid funding would be Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding, according to a new analysis by the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute.
The U.S. Senate is expected to release its own version of the healthcare legislation Thursday.
Children’s hospitals are particularly reliant on Medicaid, since unlike adults, most low-income children in Georgia can be covered under the program. Children’s Healthcare at Hughes Spalding gets about 65 percent of its revenues from Medicaid, GPBI said.
If the Medicaid program disbursements are capped as the House legislation proposes, Metro Atlanta’s overall possible loss would be $1.6 billion, according to the analysis, released Thursday. Statewide, the study said, Georgia stands to lose about $4 billion in Medicaid cuts over 10 years under the House version, with hospitals losing an estimated $3.4 billion of that.
House Republicans who pushed the bill said the current health care law is failing, and a drag of its own on the economy. They conceded the House version was just a first step and would likely be changed.
About the Author
Ariel Hart is a reporter on health care issues. She works on the AJC’s health team and has reported on subjects including the Voting Rights Act and transportation.
