If approved, this will offer the hospital higher reimbursements and a more stable economic outlook.
ESCANABA -- OSF St. Francis Hospital in Escanaba is applying for critical access hospital status. If approved, this will offer the hospital higher reimbursements and a more stable economic outlook.
OSF is applying for the status under the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility program. Medicare currently reimburses the hospital 84 percent of the actual cost of providing care. The higher reimbursements will bring in around $50 million over a 10-year period. It'll help expand outpatient services, protect jobs, and continue high quality health care.
"We currently are operating at the level set for critical access hospitals, and our patients really will not notice much of a difference in the service delivery," said Jim Wayne, CFO at OSF St. Francis.
The application for critical access status will be submitted later this month to the state of Michigan. The hospital will find out if they're approved next year.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forWLUC