PORT ANGELES – With the recent decision by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to cut Medicare re-imbursements to Olympic Medical Center’s clinics in Sequim and at 8TH and Vine in Port Angeles by 30% in 2019 and an additional 30% in 2020, OMC will be joining a lawsuit challenging that agency’s decision.
The American Hospital Association (or AHA) is sponsoring the lawsuit against CMS challenging the policy changes and has asked OMC to be a named plaintiff in the suit along with at least two other hospitals across the U.S. AHA sponsors the legal fees, while OMC will provide testimony and evidence. The Complaint will be filed this week in federal district court in Washington D.C. Here’s OMC Executive Director Eric Lewis.
OMC and the other named plaintiffs may seek a preliminary injunction to keep CMS from implementing the cuts on January 1.
In the meantime, OMC will continue to advocate for a legislative fix instead of a judicial one.
They are now revising their proposed 2019 operating and capital budgets however, and intend to maintain all current services in Port Angeles and Sequim.