The Franklin Sun - Abraham Tours Fmc, Hears Healthcare Issues

News Article

By Marcy Thompson

U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham made an impromptu President's Day visit to Franklin Medical Center this week to tour the facility and address concerns over ever-changing regulations affecting the delivery of health care services.

Abraham, who is himself a physician, met with Hospital Administrator Blake Kramer, Chairman of the hospital's Board of Commissioners Paul Price Jr., and Vice Chairman Michael Wright Monday morning for a tour of the facility's recently renovated third floor and ongoing renovations of the Emergency Room. They were later joined by hospital department heads for lunch.

As they toured the facility, Kramer told Abraham the work is part of efforts to facilitate the needs of the community while also preparing for possible future changes which may be required as federal regulations, particularly under Obama Care, impact services provided.

"I'm just trying to direct things according to what the community needs," Kramer said.

"Just the ER alone is going to make a world of difference when it opens up," Abraham responded.

Later over lunch, Kramer and hospital staff spoke with Abraham about some of the challenges the rural hospital faces.

"The things that hurt us most probably are sort of ancilliary stuff," Kramer said.

Kramer was referring to challenges faced by hospitals as they deal with regulations which impose directions of how, when and why patients are treated.

As an example, Kramer explained the medical facility often deals with claims for reimbursement which are denied because of problems such as having as many as 12 different codes related to the same illness.

He said if the hospital challenges the denials, "Medicare pushes back."

Abraham noted that while the claim made in support of the variance in coding is that it saves money, data shows otherwise.

"There is enough data to show that it costs you more," he said.

"It does nothing for the patient," Kramer added.

Abraham said he and other members of the Medical Caucus are addressing those concerns and others created by the current federal system.

"We're working on that for you trying to get some of the craziness out of it," he said.

Abraham said issues related to penalties imposed for readmission are also being addressed.

Source