OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma's newest physician-owned hospital may never open its doors, thanks to the U.S. House of Representatives health care reform bill that passed Saturday.
It prevents hospitals that are owned by doctors from billing for Medicare and Medicaid; that's a majority of a hospital's revenue.
So less than 10 weeks from welcoming its first patients, Oklahoma Heart Hospital South could become a $98 million bust.
"To see something like this happen, preventing us from opening at the 11th hour, would definitely be a shame and a huge waste," says Chief Operating Officer John Austin.
Roughly 30 percent of this facility is owned by doctors.
Critics of physician-owned hospitals say they "cherry pick" the healthiest patients, perform unnecessary surgeries and hurt nonprofit community hospitals.
But Oklahoma County Commissioner Brian Maughan disagrees.
"I think it's always best if the patient has the most choices available at hand," he says.
The County Commissioners recently passed a resolution asking Congress to change the bill's language.
Maughan says 500 jobs are on the line, as is better health care.
"We shouldn't lose sight of the fact that the health of all of southeast Oklahoma County would be greatly benefited in the community by having this option," he says.
U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe says the House bill discourages competition and he won't vote for it.
"Where you have huge investments that have been predicated on the assumption that they're going to able to do these things, to take that away from them, I don't think it's going to happen."
Oklahoma Heart Hospital South is scheduled to open its doors on January 18th.
Oklahoma Heart Hospital South is scheduled to open its doors on January 18th.
So less than 10 weeks from welcoming its first patients, Oklahoma Heart Hospital South could become a $98 million bust.
"To see something like this happen, preventing us from opening at the 11th hour, would definitely be a shame and a huge waste," says Chief Operating Officer John Austin.
Roughly 30 percent of this facility is owned by doctors.
Critics of physician-owned hospitals say they "cherry pick" the healthiest patients, perform unnecessary surgeries and hurt nonprofit community hospitals.
But Oklahoma County Commissioner Brian Maughan disagrees.
"I think it's always best if the patient has the most choices available at hand," he says.
The County Commissioners recently passed a resolution asking Congress to change the bill's language.
Maughan says 500 jobs are on the line, as is better health care.
"We shouldn't lose sight of the fact that the health of all of southeast Oklahoma County would be greatly benefited in the community by having this option," he says.
U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe says the House bill discourages competition and he won't vote for it.
"Where you have huge investments that have been predicated on the assumption that they're going to able to do these things, to take that away from them, I don't think it's going to happen."
Oklahoma Heart Hospital South is scheduled to open its doors on January 18th.
Oklahoma Heart Hospital South is scheduled to open its doors on January 18th.
