The proposed state budget from the Michigan House of Representatives guts hospital funding and would be disastrous if even a semblance of the cuts eventually makes it into the state budget. Michigan hospitals already stand to lose more than $6 billion over the next ten years due to federal budget cuts. Slashing more funding that supports delivering healthcare services and the nurses, physicians and other staff employed by hospitals harms Michigan and our more than 10 million residents.

Hospitals are already bracing for busier emergency departments, sicker patients and higher rates of uncompensated care. We are extremely disappointed in the message being sent to healthcare providers to do more with less. Hospitals can only stretch resources so far before it impacts their ability to provide the care our communities need. 

Hospitals need a real budget by Sept. 30 that supports healthcare and those who show up to work every day to care for Michiganders. It is time to stop playing political games and get to the table with real solutions that give our state the basic support that it needs.