Health Care Legislation Could Endanger New Heart Hospital

By Gan Matthews, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Many eyes are on the health care debate going on in Washington. But some Oklahoma lawmakers are getting involved because they're worried about the impact on a new hospital.

The new, physician-owned, $98 million Oklahoma Heart Hospital South is nearing completion and is scheduled to open next month at Interstate 240 and Sooner Road.

Its location makes it ideal for serving a large veteran and Medicare-eligible population, but pending health care legislation in Washington is putting the hospital's future in doubt.

"Physician-owned hospitals will not be able to be Medicaid certified. Therefore, this hospital is not financially-feasible if they cannot get Medicaid reimbursements," said Representative Richard Morrissette.

The hospital has already hired 180 employees and hopes to double that number in the first year.

"That represents about $15 million in an annual basis in salaries and so we stand to lose the vast majority of that if the hospital doesn't open," said Chief Operating Officer John Austin.

Rep. Morrissette said the indifference of the Oklahoma Republican delegation has forced him to appeal to Democrats to block the hospital provision from becoming law.

"I've had to go outside the delegation--Ben Nelson from Nebraska, Mary Landrieu from Louisiana and Blanche Lincoln from Arkansas. Those are the three Democrats that are on the fence. I'm asking them for serious help, because I can't get any help from our own delegation," Morrissette said.

The hospital sits in the district of Congresswoman Mary Fallin. Fallin said she voted against the bill and spoke against the hospital provision on the House floor. She thinks Morrissette is attempting to distract attention from the fact that it is his fellow Democrats that are endangering the hospital's future.

Right now, there's nothing in federal law that will prevent Oklahoma Heart Hospital South from opening next month. It's the future, and the future form of health care legislation that have people worried that once opened, the hospital might have to shut down.

Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe said the proposed legislation that would have blocked Heart Hospital South from receiving Medicare reimbursements was drafted by Democrats, but he said a new version before the Senate makes an exception for the Heart Hospital.