Many thanks to Delaware Rep. Bryan Shupe, R-Milford, for explaining some of the hidden details of the proposal for a hospital financial review board (“Bill would allow state control of local hospitals”). In their attempt to replicate the state of California's huge wasteful budget, Rep. Valerie Longhurst, D-Bear, and Sen. Bryan Townsend, D-Newark, are creating a way to cut state spending on health care benefits by managing privately owned hospitals’ spending, regardless of their obvious lack of expertise in managing the finances of a hospital. The result can only be rationing caused by shortages. Spending can only be cut by cutting employees or cutting services, equipment, buildings or other expenses. And, if the hospitals actually make a profit, they can’t use it to upgrade. The state gets to keep it and put it in its own fund. A license to steal, brought to you by Longhurst and Townsend. There doesn’t seem to be much concern for the average citizen, who has to wait months to get appointments due to a lack of providers!
If you can’t control state spending, stay out of our hospitals!
Stan Lakey
Wilmington
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
