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In the News Johnson says House Speaker pulled plug on trauma-care funding plan
In the News Johnson says House Speaker pulled plug on trauma-care funding plan | Johnson says House Speaker pulled plug on trauma-care funding plan |
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Savannah Morning News | April 8, 2008 By Larry Peterson State Sen. Eric Johnson says House Speaker Glenn Richardson pulled the plug on a plan to permanently pay for treating critically injured people. The Senate president pro tem gave his post-mortem on potential legislation to fund trauma treatment Tuesday at Memorial University Medical Center. Memorial has one of Georgia's 15 trauma-care centers and one of the financially strapped network's four Level 1 units. The quest for a permanent solution "died on the operating table," said Johnson, a Savannah Republican. The network remains afloat because of a stopgap infusion of $58.5 million by the legislature earlier this year, he said. Johnson added that an increase in reimbursements for treating Medicaid patients at the centers also will help and will provide $1.7 million for Memorial alone. "It's enough to stop the bleeding," said Memorial lobbyist Amy Hughes. "It's enough for the short run but not enough over the long term. ... We need to find a permanent solution, or we can't continue to provide the service." The Senate and House passed differing versions of a funding bill by Rep. Ron Stephens, R-Savannah. Johnson said all six members of a House-Senate committee appointed to iron out the wrinkles agreed on a compromise. Reached on Friday, the last day of the legislative session, the deal would have earmarked proceeds of the state property tax for trauma care. "The speaker refused to let any of his members sign it," Johnson said. "... We did not get a trauma funding decision at the last minute because of his decision." Neither Richardson nor Clelia Davis, his spokeswoman, could be reached for comment Tuesday. But Stephens, a member of the two-house committee, said opposition came not just from Richardson, R-Hiram, but also from other House leaders. They and Richardson "were determined that there had to be movement on the tax issue for us to support that," Stephens said. But the Senate refused to even consider the House's tax-cut measures, said House Majority Leader Jerry Keen, R-St. Simons Island. Keen said "the Georgia House," not just the leadership, "wasn't going to put a new tax on unless we got tax relief." Hughes said devoting the state property tax may still be the most workable way to fund the network. But Keen noted that Gov. Sonny Perdue has called for eliminating that levy. "Once you encumber it as a revenue source, you're never going to be able to eliminate it," he said. Hughes said she thinks Perdue would have backed off and let it be used for trauma care. Perdue spokesman Marshall Guest wouldn't discuss the matter because the funding bill failed. Keen said the best solution still is the House plan to increase auto registration fees $10 per vehicle and eliminate the ad valorem tax on autos. "We'll get there if the Senate will just vote on it," he said. Johnson said he's optimistic a solution will be found next year. He said it's been a three-year quest, starting with his bill to set up a study committee and continuing with his bill to start a commission to divvy up trauma center funds. "Reforms take time," he said. "We ought to be looking out the windshield and not the rear-view window." Source URL: http://savannahnow.com//node/477273 |