Manatee Memorial Hospital cuts elective surgeries for uninsured patients

BRADENTON, Fla. — Some patients are no longer able to receive elective procedures at Manatee Memorial Hospital.

The hospital has cut that kind of care for those who fall under the Manatee County Health Care Plan, otherwise known as Good County, or who are in the country illegally, because of the costs.

Manatee Memorial Hospital sent out a notice letter on May 6, that said, in part: “Starting June 1, Manatee Memorial Hospital will no longer be accepting patients that are enrolled in the Manatee County Health Care Plan, often referred to as the Good County plan, for elective procedures.”

Shannon Hoyt, the executive director for We Care Manatee, said this particularly affects people who are uninsured or medically indigent — meaning they can’t afford health insurance and are not eligible for other options like Medicaid or Medicare.

“I think we’ve gone from being very worried, to that problem-solving mode and having hope,” she said.

She estimated that more than 1,000 of her clients are part of the Manatee County Health Care Plan and get treatment at Manatee Memorial Hospital.

“It’s been difficult,” she said. “I have one gentleman who is the husband taking care of his wife, who is really ill, and he called me, and he’s just like, ‘But what do I do if she can’t breathe?’ And I just said, ‘You have to take her to the E.R.,’ because she can’t get the procedure that she needs now.'”

In a letter, the hospital said it could no longer afford to provide that kind of care.

“Our projected deficit from unfunded care, beyond charity care, amounts to several millions of dollars,” the letter said. “The significant cost of unreimbursed care is unsustainable.”

The letter was not the first action on this issue.

During a Manatee County Commissioners meeting in April, Manatee Memorial Hospital CEO Tom McDougal talked about how difficult it has been providing free care to undocumented immigrants.

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“Ladies and gentlemen, I simply cannot afford to keep doing this without being compensated for it,” he said. “It takes away care from other patients; it takes away care from what other patients need.”

In total, McDougal said their shortfall for last year comes out to $21.4 million for providing care for immigrants who came here illegally, and patients with the Good County Health Care.

“We can no longer do this on an elective basis,” he said.

With a new BayCare hospital being built in Manatee County in the future, Hoyt said she hopes her clients will be able to go there for treatment.

“They have already started being active in the community in terms of asking questions about need,” she said. “So I do find that, you know, encouraging.”

She’s also working with the county for a solution. 

Manatee Memorial Hospital will still care for people who cannot pay in cases of emergency.

Manatee County officials said there will be a meeting on June 11 to discuss what’s next for the hospital and patient care.