As many as 16,000 health care jobs could be lost in the state of Washington by 2012 if Medicare cuts are implemented, according to a new report by the American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association and the American Nurses Association.
"Beyond providing health care services, hospitals are often a community's largest employer and are significant contributors to their local economies," says Scott Bond, president of the Washington State Hospital Association. "Cuts to Medicare payments threaten hospitals' ability to provide critical services to their communities and could lead to devastating job losses."
Along with the economic impact, these cuts could negatively affect patient care, the report finds. With these programs, patient health is improved, and it can even reduce overall costs.
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"Registered nurses witness every day the positive impact on patients' health from services, such as prevention, wellness, and coordination of care," says WSNA Executive Director Judith Huntington, MN, RN. "These essential services have not only proven to improve patient health outcomes but also lower overall health care costs. It is not an acceptable solution to reduce the nation's deficit on the backs of patients and those who dedicate their lives to their care."
According to the report, during the first year of the sequester, more than 10,000 jobs will be cut in Washington, and these losses will be seen in many economic sectors beyond health care.
"The combination of a sequestration cut and looming 27 percent Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate payment cut would not only impede improvements to our health care system, it could lead to serious access to care issues for Medicare patients," says Dr. Doug Myers, president of the Washington State Medical Association. "Medicare's current payments are already below most physicians' practices' cost to provide care – these new cuts will push more practices to further limit access for these patients, not only impacting our state's seniors but also our military personnel under TriCare."
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