NEVADA VIEWS: Federal government must step up to help hospitals such as UMC
University Medical Center has served our community for more than 90 years, growing alongside Southern Nevada to become our state’s most sophisticated health care system and a vital asset during our community’s greatest times of need. We have never lost sight of our important mission to deliver the state’s highest level of care to all patients, regardless of their insurance coverage or ability to pay.
UMC is uniquely positioned as a nonprofit, public hospital offering advanced care that isn’t available anywhere else in Nevada, including the state’s only Level I Trauma Center, Designated Pediatric Trauma Center, Verified Burn Center and Transplant Center, just to name a few of our exclusive services. As a result, we care for many of Southern Nevada’s most critically ill and injured patients, in addition to a disproportionate share of uninsured community members and visitors.
As urban safety net hospitals such as UMC — known as “Metropolitan Anchor Hospitals” — continue to face increased financial stressors, we’re grateful for the continued support of lawmakers in Washington, D.C., as we work to enhance our vital services and expand access to high-quality care in communities across the nation. To further support our country’s most essential health care assets, we believe it’s important for Congress to define the criteria for hospitals to qualify as Metropolitan Anchor Hospitals and establish a special designation that would make these hospitals eligible for targeted financial support on a federal level.
Research published by the American Hospital Association shows that Metropolitan Anchor Hospitals serve a higher share of patients with disproportionately complex health and social needs. The patients these hospitals treat are more likely to come from historically marginalized communities — meaning that health equity must be at the forefront of what these hospitals strive to advance.
In addition, patients at Metropolitan Anchor Hospitals are far more likely to be covered by Medicare or Medicaid, programs that pay health care providers much lower rates than private insurance. Significant portions of our patients have no health insurance coverage at all. At UMC, Medicare and Medicaid patients account for two-thirds of all patient visits, while 10 percent of the patients we treat remain uninsured. This results in UMC providing more than $42 million in uncompensated care annually. The higher level of uncompensated care, combined with low reimbursement rates from government programs, only compounds the financial pressures within the health care industry.
UMC also plays a critical role in training future generations of health care professionals to serve our community. As Nevada’s premier academic medical center and the anchor partner for the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, UMC is home to a variety of robust medical residency and fellowship programs focused on key specialties.
Despite the unique economic pressures we face, our team at UMC remains committed to building upon our legacy and elevating the level of care available for our community. We also take pride in supporting community health and crisis preparedness with a wide range of complimentary training courses focused on CPR, Stop the Bleed, car seat safety, parenting advice, senior education and a variety of other important topics.
With federal recognition of Metropolitan Anchor Hospitals, UMC will expand vital community programs, introduce innovative new services, bolster crisis response initiatives and further expand access to care in local neighborhoods with new quick care and primary care clinics. We have built something truly special here in Clark County, and I remain confident that lawmakers will continue to lend their support and help us deliver hope for our community during the next 90 years and beyond.
Mason Van Houweling is the CEO of University Medical Center and past chair of the Nevada Hospital Association
