Gila Regional Medical Center reports revenue gains but flags Medicaid cut risks

Mister Robert Whitaker, a representative of Gila Regional Medical Center, told the Grant County Board of Commissioners on March 13 that the hospital is seeing higher admissions and stronger revenue year to date but is watching federal Medicaid proposals that could reduce funding.

Whitaker said the facility’s swing-bed program and patient days have grown and that emergency and outpatient visits are rising. "This year, year to date, we are seeing more admissions, about 20, more than prior year," Whitaker said.

The report gave commissioners a month-by-month snapshot of hospital finances. For January the hospital recorded about $8.4 million in total operating revenue and about $8.2 million in total operating expenses, Whitaker said. He said the hospital is running a year-to-date surplus of about $2.3 million, compared with roughly $29,000 for the prior year.

Whitaker also described the facility’s uncompensated-care picture: he reported about $450,000 in charity care year to date and roughly $2.5 million in bad debt.

The hospital has received some state payments tied to SB 161 and is expecting a provider-assessment payment tied to HDAA at the end of the month, Whitaker said. He added that administrators have run scenario analyses to model revenue impacts if federal Medicaid funding is reduced. "There is a lot of concern with Medicaid right now and Medicaid cuts and what's being discussed on a federal level," he said.

Administrators told commissioners they have taken steps to shore up operations and services. Whitaker said a new phone system went live at 8 a.m. the day of the meeting and staff were working through initial issues. He also noted growth and recruitment in clinical staff: Dr. Leslie, a family medicine physician, started last month and a general surgeon was scheduled to begin the following week. The hospital is also engaged with physician-recruitment firms to fill additional specialties.

On behavioral health transport, Whitaker described a regional service under a Rural Healthcare Delivery Fund grant. He said a hospital services corporation will operate behavioral-health transport out of a southern base in Las Cruces in the spring. "It's a one-stop shop. It's got a number to call and they'll arrange and take care of everything," he said.

Commissioners asked for public briefings on the hospital's Medicaid scenario analysis. Whitaker said the hospital board will review the analysis at its next meeting and that state legislators are considering a Medicaid trust fund to offset potential federal reductions.

The hospital report ended with a pledge to return to commissioners with further analysis and any material changes in funding or operations.