Bill no longer impacts Moses Lake Clinic

Provision removed by Congress

COLUMBIA BASIN - A provision, stopping Wenatchee Valley Medical Center and its clinics from receiving Medicare and Medicaid payments, was not approved by Congress.

Congressman Doc Hastings, R-4th District, announced the approved Medicare bill did not include a provision keeping doctor-owned facilities from receiving Medicare payments.

Wenatchee Valley Medical Center is physician-owned and operates the Moses Lake Clinic and Royal City Clinic.

Hospital Board President and CEO David Weber noted the legislation is valid until July, and he anticipates the provision will come up again.

"We fully expect that we have not escaped this permanently, but only temporarily," Weber said.

He said Congressman Pete Stark of California, who is the ranking Democrat on the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, named the bill as one of his priorities for next year. According to Hastings, Stark is the author of the provision impacting Wenatchee Valley Medical Center.

"I take little comfort in today's action because Democrats responsible for writing health policy promised to act next year on proposals threatening the Wenatchee Valley Medical Center and cutting seniors' Medicare choices," Hastings stated.

He vowed to continue working to protect Wenatchee Valley Medical Center.

In anticipation of the legislation, the center discussed multiple options for staying in business. Becoming a not-for-profit facility, becoming a not-for-profit and merging with another organization, or being purchased by another organization are among choice's the center considered, Weber said.

"We're going to continue to look at our options," Weber said. "This just gives us a little more time now."

The center's least-favored choice is selling to another organization, he said.

Weber said the delay gives the hospital more time to communicate to legislators about the impact the provision would have on the hospital.

Wenatchee Valley Medical Center serves 41 percent Medicare patients and 12 percent Medicaid patients.

"We firmly believe this legislation will ultimately pass," he said.

Moses Lake Clinic Administrator David Olson said he is traveling to Washington, D.C. at the end of January as President of the Washington Rural Health Association and as a representative of Wenatchee Valley Medical Center.

Olson said he is going to have an opportunity to speak with the state's representatives.

"Trust me, I'll be speaking to some of them about a number of issues, including this one," he said.