A Macon hospital authority wants its local government to start sharing local property tax revenues to help pay for indigent care.
The Macon-Bibb County Hospital Authority discussed their plans earlier this month, The Telegraph of Macon reports.
The authority oversees Atrium Health Navicent, the largest hospital in central Georgia and one of four premier trauma centers in the state.
If the Macon-Bibb County Commission approves the application, Macon-Bibb would become at least the 14th county in the entire state to use property taxes to pay for hospital care or physical improvements, reports the Department of State revenue and Associated Press.
HEALTH IS A MORAL ISSUE FIRST, ECONOMIC SECOND. THIS IS WHAT CONSERVATIVES SHOULD DO
Michele Madison, an attorney for the authority, said the authority is seeking money to pay for care provided to people who are uninsured and too poor to pay.
State law allows counties to spend up to $7 million in property taxes to pay for hospital buildings or subsidize health care.
“So you’re going to see a lot of money and then you’re just going to see some millage rates that help support hospital authorities across the state,” Madison said.
In particular, Fulton and DeKalb counties subsidize Atlanta’s Grady Memorial Hospital, a safety net hospital and the only premier trauma center in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The hospital has been pushing both counties to increase payments following the closure of the nearby Atlanta Medical Center by Wellstar Health System.
A hospital in Georgia wants its local government to spend taxes on indigent care. If approved, Macon-Bibb would become the 14th county to use property taxes to pay for hospital care.
Bibb County helped pay for indigent care for decades at what is now Atrium Health Navicent, but cut funding in 2018 amid budget problems. The hospital reported nearly $80 million in uncompensated care in 2021.
“We have kind of a moral argument to make, it seems to us that, you know, we were providing services to the county, the county is authorized to support us in terms of financial support for indigent care for services and other services to provide to the community. said Ken Banks, attorney for Atrium Health Navicent and secretary of the hospital authority.
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Atrium Health Navicent raised more than $9 million from the state’s Indigent Care Trust Fund in 2018 and 2019, according to the most recent data. That fund helps hospitals recover part of the cost of uncompensated care.
Democrats say Georgia could alleviate the problem by expanding its state and federal Medicaid health insurance program to cover most uninsured adults. While Republican Gov. Brian Kemp is seeking a partial expansion, it would cover only some people who work, are in school or do community service.
