Winsome Earle-Sears on bill that cuts Medicaid: “The bill as you know now does so many great things”

VIRGINIA – As Winsome Earle-Sears continues to back Trump’s tax bill that will take healthcare away from 322,000 Virginians and force six or more rural hospitals to close, Virginia Republicans are speaking out about the devastating impact of the law.  Republican State Senator Chris Head said, “There is a foreboding fear among all of the hospital administrators that I’m in contact with. It is going to be critical for us to come up with a plan to triage.”
 
Sears has praised the bill saying it “does so many great things” — even though it will take healthcare away from 322,000 Virginians and force rural hospitals to close. When asked about the concerns of Virginians, Sears outright dismissed them, saying “don’t panic” and failed to offer any solution. 
 
Virginia Mercury: Virginia lawmakers, health officials brace for Medicaid changes

• As the reconciliation bill was fast-tracked through Congress over the summer, hospital associations in numerous states co-signed a public letter warning how funding changes to hospitals would negatively impact their abilities to remain open in some areas or face service cuts in others.
• While congressional Democrats unanimously opposed the bill, some Republicans were hung up over the proposed hospital funding changes.
• State Sens. David Sutterlein, R-Roanoke, and Chris Head, R-Botetourt, noted how constituents in Head’s predominantly rural district often receive healthcare from facilities in Sutterlein’s. As Sutterlein’s district includes urban and suburban areas like Roanoke and Salem, they questioned how the eligibility would work for hospitals there.
• “There is a foreboding fear among all of the hospital administrators that I’m in contact with,” Head said. “It is going to be critical for us to come up with a plan to triage.”
• Such concerns were also relayed by Ballad Health chief operating officer Eric Deaton in a recent call with the Mercury.
• As the hospital chain has several rural facilities in Southwest Virginia and Tennessee, Deaton said he wonders how states are going to be able to respond. In the meantime, he said his hospital chain will look inward at how it can adjust and stay connected to federal lawmakers.

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