Lawmakers address rural healthcare concerns at Lee County Community Hospital following passage of "Big Beautiful Bill"
The premiere of the “Griffith/Harshbarger Show” came to Lee County on Wednesday.
While the duo of Virginia 9th District Congressman Morgan Griffith and Tennessee 1st District Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger are not officially a touring band or entertainment duo, the visit to Lee County and Lee Community Hospital appeared more like show than substance.
The political duo visited the Lee County Community Hospital on Wednesday to discuss the future of rural healthcare in Southwest Virginia. The visit came shortly after the passage of what the article refers to as "President Donald Trump's Big Beautiful Bill."
The reference to show can be derived from Griffith, who serves as Chair of the House Subcommittee on Health, and Harshbarger, the vice-chair, and their appearance in Lee County for a closed roundtable session with Ballad Health leaders and hospital staff.
The focus was on navigating the challenges and needs of rural healthcare moving forward, particularly in light of the new legislation.
The meeting brought together the duo, who supported the bill and Alan Levine, CEO of Ballad Health, who had previously expressed strong concerns that the legislation would be detrimental to rural health systems. Levine specifically highlighted that the bill contained "pretty substantial reductions for hospitals that rely a lot on the state-directed payments," a change he attributes to the Senate's modifications of the House version.
Despite their differing views on the bill's impact, Levine noted the significance of having both the Chair and Vice-Chair of the House Health Subcommittee representing the region.
"For the first time that we have advocates who understand the impact of these policies on this region," according to Levine, expressing hope that regional issues would be heard. The discussion also touched on the bill's impact on Medicaid.
Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) had posted a video expressing significant reservations, claiming the legislation included nearly $1 trillion in total cuts to Medicaid, potentially causing 17 million Americans to lose coverage and putting hospitals like Lee County on a list for closure.
Representative Harshbarger countered Warner's claims, asserting that the bill does not cut Medicaid overall but rather targets "fraud, waste, and abuse" within the system. She argued this approach would help sustain the program for those it was intended to serve. Harshbarger also noted that the cuts primarily affect Medicaid Expansion, suggesting that many who are currently enrolled could work instead.
Levine acknowledged that improvements could be made to the federal Medicaid system, advocating for changes to policy and funding mechanisms. "Rural Americans should not pay for the health care of people that live in New York City," he commented.
The future of Lee County Community Hospital holds significant local importance. Griffith previously worked with Senator Warner to reopen the facility in 2021 after it closed in 2013, a closure Griffith attributed to Obamacare and Medicaid expansion.
Griffith assured the community he does not intend to let the hospital close again, acknowledging that "sometimes federal legislation does things you don’t expect." He emphasized his commitment to ensuring that rural healthcare systems remain "healthy and viable."
Harshbarger hinted at further healthcare legislation being developed in Congress. She emphasized that maintaining the viability of Lee County Hospital is a priority. Additionally, she mentioned a provision in the recent bill that allocates a $50 billion fund for rural hospitals over the next five years, noting she is currently developing the criteria for states to access this funding. Harshbarger also stated her commitment to finding funding to reopen the Unicoi County Hospital.
Much of the legislation is expected to kick in by 2028. Until then, there’s going to be a lot of debate, discussion and disagreement about how far the legislation will go, who it will impact and whether or not changes will be made in the short term.
A lot of questions. Few direct answers in the debut of Washington’s new power duo of the Chair and Vice-Chair of the House Health Subcommittee in rural Southwest Virginia and Lee County.
