Evening star., 1955-04-24
MEDICINE
Hospitals
Seek Aid
On Deficit
By JOHN McKELwAY

for o permanent cure.
Requesting relief-and 20 far
getting lttle-they have gone to
the Health Department. the Dis
trict Commissioners and recently
have been seeing specialists" on
Capitol Hill. They feel they need
. big pill worth 60.o00-but add
such Q dose would only furnish
temporary relief.
For the sickness-that finan-
eial burden-has reached such Q
point that officials Of nine non
profit District hospitals are in
unanimous agreement on this
point:
I THE increasing financial bur-
Den of the medically INDECENT will
ultimately wipe-out the commu-
nifty non-profit hospital status
unless more funds are made
available.
Overall Deficiency
The 100000 figure stands for
IN overall deficiency swallowed
By the hospitals in fiscal 1851
and 1854. It was caused. the
hospitals say. because Of the
medical charities program
program under which the hos
pitfalls contract with the Health
Department to care for the city's
medically indigents arriving by
ambulance.
I What happened. during the
two years, was that the appro-
priation granted by Congress for
the INDECENT program was over
spent. The Health Department |
ran out of money-at least for |
this purpose-but indigents kept |
arriving at the hospitals.
. This fiscal year, 1t has been |
learned, the hospitals stand to
be rocked by a $685. deficiency.
! Hospital administrators say
they just can't keep taking these
losses any longer. For no longer |
are hospitals backed up by fat
endowments from which they
can draw.
! Seek Help In Congress
I Showing significant unity. and
working through their Hospital
Council, hospital officials have
gone over the heads Of the
Commissioners and are search
ing for help in Congress. They
are after q more realistic ap-
propriation." as they put it.
But first they want their
money back" for fiscal 81 and
b4.
The only way they can get |
the $50. 900. hospital officials say,
Is to push q separate bill through |
Congress requesting an appro-
priation for the deficit.
But also, the hospitals charge:
! "It Is evident that the Dis
trict Commissioners have not |
given proper recognition to the
dire need Of an increased appro-
priation for fiscal 1885,"
Requests Knocked Back
The appropriation. in the
present budget, asks $870, 600 |
the same as in fiscal '55-for the
medical charities program. The 4
hospitals asked for $1,200, ,36l.
The Health Department, backing
up the hospitals to some extent.
asked the Commissioners for ST.
007.361. Both requests have been
Knocked back to the $870,00O
figure.
The medical charities program
provides that hospitals care for
medically INDECENT patients -
certified as such-who are not
taken care Of at the city's hos
pital, D. c. General. The Dis
trict pays the private hospital q
rate Of $l4 per day for each |
patient. Included in the pro-
gram and tncurring reported
deficits are Casualty. Emergency,
Episcopal, GARFIELD, George
Washington, Georgetown, Provi-
dence. Washington Home for In
curables and the Children's
Convalescent Home.
The hospitals maintain they |
need these patients to provide |
teaching material for their in
terms and residents. But one
of the problems in the program,
hospitals say, is that they can |
only accept medically INDECENT |
in-patients who arrive in emer-
gencies. Long-term patients are
directed to the D. c. General
even though they might have
been attending the private hos
pitfalls out-patient clinic. The
teaching program is damaged,
the hospitals say.
Hit Payment Delays
The Hospital Council also is
taking a stand against delays
In receiving funds from the
Health Department.
A report from the. Hospital
Council says hospitals today more
than ever, need large amount
OF working capital.
zone of the causes limiting the
amount Of working capital is the
delay by the District in making
payment for services under the
program" the group added.
The delay is caused by failure
to complete negotiations or con-
tractural changes with the
Health Department and the
Corporation Counsels Office. |
Payment for care Of indigents
has been held up as long as six
months in some years because no |
contract has been signed be-
tween the hospitals and the Dis |
trict for various reasons.
Complete Review Asked
The entire program of caring |
for the medically INDECENT |
should be reviewed with policy |