LANSING — Michigan healthcare experts are warning that proposed Medicaid cuts could result in the loss of OB/GYN services, creating new challenges for mothers and babies in Northern Michigan.
The state could lose close to a billion dollars in federal Medicaid funding under proposed cuts, potentially jeopardizing access to care for 275,000 Medicaid recipients and for new and expecting mothers around the state.
In some facilities, like Munson Healthcare’s Cadillac Hospital, over 60% of births are covered by Medicaid, providing a crucial funding mechanism for their delivery services.
“Many of the rural hospitals across the country, whether they’re in Munson or not, are very fragile, and so any changes to the reimbursement would make for tough decisions,” said Ed Ness, president and CEO of Munson Healthcare.
Ness says providers like Munson may have to reduce services if the funding cuts are put into place.
“I think it’s too early to know specifically what those changes would be, but certainly it would be something we would have to consider if there were dramatic cuts to those programs,” he said.
OG/GYN services include pre-birth health screenings, ultrasounds and postpartum checkups, among others.
Earlier this year, a hospital in the Keweenaw Peninsula closed their birth and delivery services, more than doubling the amount of expected births at a nearby facility.
Without accessible OB services, experts say, more mothers would have difficulties with their pregnancies.
“We’ll have more folks who don’t access prenatal care, aren’t able to access prenatal care, and we’ll be dealing with complications around the birth event, which is never a good situation for patient or provider,” said Amy Zaagman, director of the Michigan Council for Maternal and Child Health.
Experts say the loss of healthcare services can lead to economic troubles for a region, as people and professionals settle down in areas that fit their needs.
“Many young families who have the choice are not going to locate in a community where they don’t feel that they can receive adequate health care,” Zaagman said.
They also say that reducing the level of care that children receive early in life can often lead to more severe and more expensive health issues.
“You’re traveling a greater distance for any problems you have, and the more the the further that people have to travel, especially people with limited means, the less likely they are to be able to adhere to the best care plan that we might have for them,” said Laura Appel, executive vice president of the Michigan Health and Hospital Association.
The Republican-backed spending bill is still being considered in the Senate, where lawmakers have said it will likely see further changes.