Letter from HFMA's President and CEO, Richard L. Clarke, DHA, FHFMA, to The New York Times, March 23, 2006:
Robert Pear’s March 19 article “Nonprofit Hospitals Face Scrutiny over Practices” reports on the interest among some legislators and state attorneys general in mandating that hospitals increase the amount of care they provide to those without insurance. No one is more eager than hospitals are to solve the problem of the uninsured in this country. But such mandates could cripple hospitals financially, would not provide the necessary comprehensive health care, and would still leave us with the same root problem: an unacceptable number of uninsured people. There is a better way to approach this problem--a way that uses a model the Bush Administration has successfully employed to encourage adoption of electronic health records: set an ambitious national goal with a deadline, appoint a senior official who is very competent and respected, identify the barriers, and encourage public/private partnerships to address them. This sort of practical, focused effort is crucial if we are to solve the root problem of the uninsured. Richard L. Clarke, DHA, FHFMAPresident and CEO, Healthcare Financial Management AssociationClick here to read the New York Times article.
Robert Pear’s March 19 article “Nonprofit Hospitals Face Scrutiny over Practices” reports on the interest among some legislators and state attorneys general in mandating that hospitals increase the amount of care they provide to those without insurance. No one is more eager than hospitals are to solve the problem of the uninsured in this country. But such mandates could cripple hospitals financially, would not provide the necessary comprehensive health care, and would still leave us with the same root problem: an unacceptable number of uninsured people.
There is a better way to approach this problem--a way that uses a model the Bush Administration has successfully employed to encourage adoption of electronic health records: set an ambitious national goal with a deadline, appoint a senior official who is very competent and respected, identify the barriers, and encourage public/private partnerships to address them.
This sort of practical, focused effort is crucial if we are to solve the root problem of the uninsured.
Richard L. Clarke, DHA, FHFMAPresident and CEO, Healthcare Financial Management AssociationClick here to read the New York Times article.
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Updated 3/23/06
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800-659-8883
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www.perotsystems.com/revenuecycle
