Pre-Legislative Coffee creates discussion on hospital
How are you going to save the rural hospitals?
During Wednesday’s Pre-Legislative Coffee, held at the 1st Franklin Financial Training Center, both Representative Dan Gasaway and Senator John Wilkinson attempted to answer that question.
With rural hospitals across the state being bought out by larger name brand hospitals, or the ones that simply close their doors all together, its critical to remember that Stephens County is not immune to this phenomenon.
Gasaway explained to the crowd about his involvement in overseeing that Stephens County does not lose its hospital.
“What I’m working on is to make sure that none of my communities are forced to sell their hospitals,” Gasaway said.
Despite the state not expanding its Medicaid as other states did, Gasaway is certain that those who did expand will soon face the repercussion of that quote “black cloud.”
“Eventually that black cloud is going to create repercussions, we can’t just pay for everything. You know, everyone loves a free lunch, but there’s no such thing as a free lunch,” he said.
The free lunch approach to healthcare is that someone eventually has to pay for the expense.
As it has been in the past, the patient would not pay their medical expenses, therefore the hospital would and continues to lose revenue.
Nearing Gasaway’s closing he placed some blame on the rural hospitals failings on politics.
“It’s political, and I think that there are a lot of great influencers who influence what’s going on, and that needs to stop,” he added.
Afterwards, Wilkinson expressed confidence in the stability of Stephens County Hospital that it will never get to the point of closing.
“I don’t think Stephens County Hospital is in that bad of shape compared to other surrounding counties. This didn’t happen overnight, so it’s going to take time to get out of it. But I don’t think that Stephens County will be like any of those [hospitals that have closed],” Wilkinson said.
The pre-legislator coffee was well attended, and was organized by the Chamber of Commerce.
For questions regarding the forthcoming post-legislative coffee contact Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce President Julie Paysen at 706-886-2132.