Gov. Lee Budget Includes $110M To Offset Uncompensated Care Costs In Hospitals

For the first time, Governor Bill Lee’s budget has included funding to help offset costs for uncompensated care in hospitals across the state.

Representative Ryan Williams said this will be a big win for Cookeville Regional Medical Center. He said $110 million will help hospitals apply for reimbursements and to bring more services into medical facilities.

“Our hospitals, nursing homes, have been doing what’s been called a hospital assessment for years trying to call back more money,” Williams said. “This just gives them a one-time shot at another $110 million until we’re able to do something more permanent with reoccurring dollars next year.”

Williams said CRMC is the medical hub for the region and a lot of individuals come to the community hospital to get needed services. He said a lot of those services are trauma-related or uncompensated care that CRMC is ineligible for federal dollars to cover.

Williams said the hospital simply covers those costs which have a large impact on the budget. He said this is the first step in a long-term plan to help alleviate the costs burdens to medical facilities.

“This money would allow them, for that uncompensated care, to submit for payment and use that $110 million to draw down more revenue to put with those,” Williams said.