Petition started to save critical care access at rural hospitals

An online petition has begun with the purpose being to stop funding cuts for rural hospitals and that will later be delivered to the Washington State House, the Washington State Senate and Governor Christine Gregoire. The petition is aimed at stopping proposed cuts in funding for 38 rural Critical Access Hospitals in the state.

The cuts would eliminate cost-based reimbursement for the care of Medicaid patients while saving only 1.5 percent of its total spending on Medicaid. It is a small savings for the state but would cause the rural hospitals to drastically reduce services, cut staff or possibly close.

The petition currently has 2,232 signatures but has set a goal of at least 3,000 signatures before it will be sent to state officials.

For those interested in signing or learning more about the petition, the link can be found on the East Adams Rural Hospital website, www.earh.com.