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Aberdeen, WA – The board of Grays Harbor Community Hospital has passed a resolution in opposition to Tim Eyman’s Initiative 1033. Initiative 1033 will be on the November 3, 2009 statewide ballot.
After careful discussion, the board of directors found that I-1033 threatens the continued financial viability of GHCH and its ability to provide quality health services to the community.
According to the Washington State Office of Financial Management, the initiative reduces state general fund revenues that support education; social, health and environmental services; and general government activities by an estimated $5.9 billion by 2015.
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The Washington State Office of Financial Management projects the initiative will also reduce general fund revenues supporting public safety, infrastructure and general government activities by an estimated $694 million for counties and $2.1 billion for cities by 2015.
I-1033 will directly harm GHCH. The Washington State Hospital Association has calculated the difference between the projected increase in the cost of caring for Medicaid patients and the inflation increase allowed under Initiative 1033. The hospital association projects that under Initiative 1033's more restrictive inflation formula, GHCH will experience $2.3 Million in Medicaid payment shortfalls over the next six years.
“We count on state funding for health care services through Medicaid, Basic Health, and Apple Health for Kids,” said board chairman Mike Melville. “We are very concerned about the impacts of Initiative 1033 on our ability to maintain the excellent health services we provide in this community. We are also concerned about the impact of
I-1033 on emergency medical response, fire protection and other local government services critical to public safety and which we rely upon to provide patient care.”
“GHCH has joined an ever-growing chorus of voices in opposition to Initiative 1033,” said Cassie Sauer, spokesperson for the Washington State Hospital Association. “This initiative takes away local control, slashes funding for health care and education, and makes the tough times we’re experiencing even worse. Voters across the state should reject it.”
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