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SESSION
SUMMARY
This was the most
challenging budget session the legislature has faced in decades.
And every one of ORHA's priority bills was a budget bill. Despite
that, we did incredibly well. The Malpractice Subsidy program was
continued with full funding. A new Loan Forgiveness program was
created and funded. Funding for both of the EMT mobile training
units was saved.
Our biggest setback was
the continued lack of funding for the Loan Repayment program. We
need to figure out if there will be any funding opportunities for
programs like Loan Repayment in the February 2012 session. If not,
we need to develop a new strategy for the 2013 session.
Although we beat back
repeated efforts to cut funding for Type A & B hospitals, current
cost-based reimbursement is only guaranteed through June 2014. We
will need to work hard to make certain that rural hospital funding
is protected after that.
As we look ahead to
2013, we already know that the rural health tax credit, which is
scheduled to sunset, will be on the agenda along with funding for
the malpractice subsidy, loan forgiveness, loan repayment and EMT
MTUs.
