Local
Heritage Medical Center CFO Speaks of Insure Tennessee Importances
Insure Tennessee Helps
Shelbyville Free Press (Source: www.ShelbyvilleFreePress.org)
Mr. Frank Mitchell, CFO Heritage Medical Center
(Source: Frank Mitchell)
(Source: Frank Mitchell)
SHELBYVILLE, TN, APRIL 30, 2015- Mitchell Frank, Chief Financial Officer of Shelbyville´s Heritage Medical Center spoke to the Bedford County Democratic Women´s Association at their monthly meeting on Monday. Mr. Frank was invited by the group to discuss the impact of the Tennessee Legislature´s failure to act on Governor Haslam´s Insure Tennessee proposal. Mr. Frank stated that 60%-65% of the hospital´s income is derived from the Medicare and Medicaid (TennCare) programs. Heritage Medical Center Management contacted our State Senator prior to Insure Tennessee coming before a Senate Subcommittee for review.
While they were informed that he "thought he could support it," he instead voted against expanded coverage under the Insure Tennessee proposal.
Mr. Frank went on to state that if our Legislators had expanded coverage, as numerous other states have already done, then this hospital, as well as many others would be in a much better financial state than they are more than likely to be without this expansion, as well as thousands of more Tennesseans being covered by insurance who currently are unable to obtain it. This all would be at no additional cost to the taxpayers or the State of Tennessee.
Mr. Frank went on to state that if our Legislators had expanded coverage, as numerous other states have already done, then this hospital, as well as many others would be in a much better financial state than they are more than likely to be without this expansion, as well as thousands of more Tennesseans being covered by insurance who currently are unable to obtain it. This all would be at no additional cost to the taxpayers or the State of Tennessee.
The problem is not with the Affordable Care Act, but the inability of the Tennessee Legislature to expand Medicaid as it was designed to do so. Local taxpayers have already paid towards this benefit, and as a result of the state´s failure to act on this much needed legislation, those tax dollars are going to other states which have implemented the expansion as need, such as Kentucky, New York, and California. Our money is paying for these other states´ patients.
Mr. Mitchell Frank was named the Chief Financial Officer for Heritage Medical Center in 2012, which is Bedford County's only Hospital.
Mr. Mitchell Frank was named the Chief Financial Officer for Heritage Medical Center in 2012, which is Bedford County's only Hospital.
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