Hospital stats positive despite looming troubles

By ROB LARSON
Daily Press Staff Writer
After providing positive stats for this month’s hospital update to the Artesia Hospital District Board of Trustees Monday evening, Artesia General Hospital CEO Kenneth Randall discussed what he foresees as an oncoming crisis for both AGH and the majority of hospitals around the country.
“Within 24 months, you’ll see small and medium-sized hospitals decide what they’re going to do in the State of New Mexico,” Randall said. “You’re not going to be able to provide all of these services and be subsidized below your cost or not subsidized at all. I don’t really know what’s going to happen, although I’m glad we’re starting to have a national discussion about it a little bit in terms of Medicare and Social Security, but it is a frightening thought.” … For the rest of the story, subscribe in print and on the web.
Randall told the board that he received news from those who run the Eddy County Indigent Assistance Fund that, effective in July, reimbursements to the hospital would be reduced by 25 percent. Also, Chaves County recently told Randall that indigent fund payments would not be paid to the hospital at all. In other words, as Randall said, AGH would have to “eat that money” for anyone from Roswell that was provided care but couldn’t afford it.
Additionally, New Mexico Medicaid took a cut of roughly 25 percent, according to AGH’s CEO, and another reduction of $160,000 may happen in the near future.