Commissioners Court Discusses Local Fees, Federal Funding For Hospitals

By Autumn Wright

Hays County Commissioners held a public hearing Tuesday morning to discuss the possible implementation of a mandatory public hospital fee. (Yesterday’s complete Hays County Commissioners Court Agenda.)

If the action is authorized, the county will begin to enforce the fee in 2016 and the funds will go to the federal government, said Lon Shell, Hays County chief of staff. In return, the federal government will provide more money throughout the year for programs the hospitals may need in the future.

The hospitals’ payments will be comprised of six percent of patient revenue, Shell said.

He said the hospitals’ employees have said they are happy to comply with the fee in order to secure funding from the government later on.

Shell said he wanted to address the proposed payment in a public hearing to assure citizens that the fee will not affect taxpayers. “This is strictly funds of hospitals in the county,” Shell said.

Bert Cobb, Hays County judge, said only the county’s public hospitals will pay and benefit from the fee. In order to get services from the government, someone has to pay for the price, Cobb said.

Dan Wyatt, citizen of San Marcos, said there is “no such thing as free money” and he fears the payment could put patients out of the hospital. Patients will suffer because six percent of their medical bills will go toward the fee.

Cobb said it is important to implement the fee so the federal government will supply additional funding for programs the hospitals may need in the future.

Overall, the fee will benefit the Hays County community, Cobb said.