This past week officials from Geary Community Hospital issued challenges to the Geary County Commission. A member of the governing body, Ben Bennett, said one is to advocate for medicaid expansion. “We’ve advocated for that with our elected representatives for the last year. Hopefully that will give us some relief from the non-paying public that we have to serve.”
In the past officials have estimated that could mean one million dollars per year for Geary Community Hospital, if medicaid expansion is approved by the legislature.
Another challenge involved discussion of a possible future property tax increase support the hospital. Bennett stated that can be done but to do it there are some statutory restrictions on the commission. “And that’s not something that we I know have been very receptive of because of our challenges that we have in the county.” Bennett added the hospital is important to them but the county would have to be prudent.
(Read more: Junction City Post)