CHICAGO (AP) — The head of the Illinois Hospital
Association says Gov. Pat Quinn's proposal to cut $2 billion from the Medicaid
program is a blunt approach that would hurt the Illinois economy and cost
19,000 jobs.
Hospital Association President Maryjane Wurth tells The Associated Press that her group has other suggestions. The hospital group would support higher cigarette taxes and taxing junk food and soda to help Medicaid.
Wurth says the hospital association will fight "vigorously" any cuts to Medicaid payments to hospitals. Such payment cuts could result in the closure of struggling hospitals, leaving Illinois with more "health care deserts," such as in East St. Louis, which already lost its only hospital.
The Illinois Hospital Association represents 200 Illinois hospitals. Worth has been its president and CEO since October 2009.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
