PA Hospitals Hail Restoration Of Medicaid Funds; Final State Budget Plan Restores Hospital Funds Critical To Patient Care

HARRISBURG, Pa., July 7 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP) today hailed the restoration of critical Medicaid funds to the final state budget.

"We applaud House and Senate leaders, state lawmakers, and the Governor for recognizing the importance of Medicaid to patients, communities, and hospitals," said Carolyn F. Scanlan, president and CEO of HAP. "We appreciate the efforts to preserve the viability of Pennsylvania's health care system and economic infrastructure."

"Our most vulnerable citizens - senior citizens, the disabled, and low- income families - will continue to have access to essential hospital care, and hospitals will have the resources needed to provide high quality care for their patients," Scanlan said. "This budget plan is good news for patients and providers."

"However, there remains a need to develop a consensus in Pennsylvania of possible longer-term changes to the Medicaid program," Scanlan warned. "We look forward to working with the legislature and the administration to examine the fiscal implications of the Medicaid program into the future, and the needs of Pennsylvanians served by the program."

HAP is a statewide membership services organization that advocates for nearly 250 Pennsylvania acute and specialty care, primary care, subacute care, long-term care, home health, and hospice providers, as well as the patients and communities they serve. Additional information about HAP is available online at http://www.haponline.org.

The Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania

CONTACT: Roger H. Baumgarten, Director, Media Relations, Hospital &Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, +1-717-561-5342, Cell:+1-717-329-9537, rbaumgarten@haponline.org

Web site: http://www.haponline.org/