JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The local medical community is demanding a solution to save UF Health Jacksonville.
On Tuesday, House lawmakers abruptly ended their session early. They did so without finding any funding to cover a $95 million budget shortfall at the local hospital.
Last week, the hospital's CEO warned Action News that UF Health might be forced to shut down without those tens of millions of dollars.
Something would jeopardize the health of the many people in Jacksonville who rely on UF Health. People like Roderick Crum who has been traveling to and from UF Health for over eight years.
"I go to get my medications and prescriptions," Crum said.
But that could soon change for Crum and others. The hospital could close if it loses over $95 million in low-income pool or LIP funding. Money that covers the hospital's cost for providing care to people without insurance. By law, the hospital cannot refuse people who come to their emergency room, even if they have no insurance.
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Dr. Sunil Joshi of the Duval County Medical Society Board of Directors said, "They take a huge loss when they see these patients because they're not getting paid for their services. This money can help sustain those hospitals."
This is money which will disappear if state lawmakers can't figure out a way to fund state health care; something that's now in jeopardy after the state House decided to end session three days early.
"I think that probably the most frustrating part of this is we know this is partisan politics at its best and some people don't want to take the federal money and use it in this way," Joshi said.
"I would hate for this institution to get closed down for something petty like that," Crum said.
Joshi said he believes lawmakers will figure out a way to provide funding to UF Health and other hospitals at risk of losing money. He said that likely will happen in a special session this summer.
"The Senate does have a bill that would include $2 billion for low income pool and $3 billion for Medicaid expansion but again, nothing gets to the governor's desk unless both houses sign off on it," Joshi said.
UF Health Jacksonville released the following statement:
"Our focus continues to be on the patients we serve and the funding required to meet their needs. We are confident that the legislature and governor will find a solution to the crucial questions surrounding health care financing here and across the state. As we have said throughout this process, low-income pool funding allows us to serve thousands of people each year who would otherwise go without health care. It is imperative that our funding level remains the same to continue to do so."
UF Health serves around 1.2 million ambulatory visits a year, receives more than 90,000 emergency room visits and employs more than 5,000 people. The hospital is also home to more than 360 medical residencies.
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