The N&R follows up on Obamacare’s ripple effect on the hospital industry. It’s not pretty:
Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center launched a distress signal in a gathering storm when it said on Nov. 14 that it will cut 950 jobs.
That storm has at its center national health care reform, possible lower reimbursements for Medicare and Medicaid services, and an increasing number of older patients who need more care.
The hospital industry is in for a direct hit — that’s not in doubt.
But mass layoffs may be only one of many solutions for the health care industry’s problems.
Note in the comments the passionate defense of Obamacare from ‘Panacea,’ who’s “been telling people for three years that the PPACA (Obamacare) would improve health care in part by forcing hospitals to be more efficient.” Bottom line is it’s more people on the unemployment rolls, yet another ‘unintended consequence’ of this mother of a government mandate.
Agree or disagree, Panacea’s been a solid fixture here on the G’boro blog scene, but he values his anonymity and thus tells N&R editor Jeff Gauger he’ll be signing off after six years when the paper begins its real name commenting policy on the new website.
