Hollister
– The U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill Wednesday
that has some locals worried about San Benito County’s ability to
attract doctors and provide medical care.
Hollister – The U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill Wednesday that has some locals worried about San Benito County’s ability to attract doctors and provide medical care.
The bill, approved by a vote of 225-204, is making national headlines for adding six million lower-income children to the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. But some San Benito County doctors are more concerned about a section that in-creases Medicare reimbursements for doctors in many surrounding counties while leaving local payments flat.
Dr. Martin Bress of Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital called the logic behind the changes “bizarre.” He said San Benito County’s housing costs in particular are already making it difficult to convince doctors to move here.
“If a doctor is looking at the cost of housing, they see that they can get the same kind of house for half the price in Oklahoma, and the Medicare rates aren’t that much lower,” Bress said. “If reimbursement rates are going to be higher in surrounding counties, that’s just going to make it worse.”
Dr. Ralph Armstrong, president of the San Benito County Medical Society, previously told the Free Lance he has similar worries.
The Medicare reimbursement changes are based on legislation introduced by Rep. Sam Farr, D-Carmel, who represents San Benito, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. Farr’s chief of staff, Rochelle Dornatt, acknowledged that San Benito County residents have reason for concern. But without the bill, reimbursements would have fallen by nearly 5 percent, she said.
“We knew the train was coming down this track,” Dornatt said. “If we hadn’t been there, the train would have rolled over the cliff.”
Medicare reimbursements would increase by 8 percent to 10 percent in Monterey County and 10 percent to 15 percent in Santa Cruz County, Dornatt estimated.
She added that reimbursements are calculated according to an existing formula for medical expenses, so the federal government didn’t “deliberately cut (San Benito) out.”
“They’re in good shape to get pulled out next time,” Dornatt said.
Bress said he’s troubled the formula does not take housing expenses into account. San Benito County Supervisor Pat Loe said she has asked for the formula’s details.
“I still don’t believe San Benito County’s costs are that much lower,” Loe said. “The community right now is suffering in so many different areas. … (Losing doctors) would be just another setback for economic development.”
When she gets the details, Loe said she may lobby Farr for changes to the formula. The Board of Supervisors may also take a stand on the issue, she said.
Karen Nikos, a spokeswoman for the California Medical Association, said the CMA endorses the bill. When told that San Benito County’s reimbursements won’t increase, she replied, “But you didn’t get reduced, and that was a major battle.”
Recruiting doctors is a problem statewide, Nikos added, particularly in growing Northern California counties.
If approved, the changes would take effect Jan. 1. Similar legislation is on the Senate floor, but President Bush has vowed to veto the bill.
