press coverage

On March 1, 2019, Megan Messerly provided an update on the Every Baby Counts initiative in a Nevada Independent article titled “Medicaid Proposed Neonatal, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Rate Bumps May Boost In-State Hospital Care.” Members of the Nevada state legislature are evaluating a proposed increase for Medicaid reimbursement to sustain critical hospital services for children and recently heard from Sunrise Hospital and Medicaid officials.The current proposal includes a 15% increase for Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) patients and a 25%  increase for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) patients. Read More

In the Jan. 2, 2019 Las Vegas Review Journal article titled “Las Vegas Hospital Raises Awareness About Medicaid Repayments” Jessie Bekker explains why unsustainable reimbursements from Nevada Medicaid threaten Sunrise Hospital’s ability to provide the costly services associated with high-level infant care. According to the article, last year, patient charges associated with NICU care averaged $14,980 daily. Medicaid, the insurer for about 70% of the hospital’s NICU patients, pays $1,487 daily per baby. Overall, the difference in the cost for all Medicaid services and the reimbursement rate left Sunrise with $77 million in uncompensated costs (excluding some supplemental payments). Without a bump in payments some of the hospital’s highest cost services will disappear. Read More

In a Jan. 2, 2019 Nevada Current article titled “Rubio Bill Could Help Nevada Hospitals, But Industry Focuses On Carson City” Dana Gentry explains that Nevada for-profit hospitals are hemorrhaging hundreds of millions of dollars a year, thanks to stingy Medicaid reimbursements, a problem state lawmakers have been unwilling to address.  To help persuade state lawmakers to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates, Sunrise Hospital has launched the Every Baby Counts NV campaign focusing on Sunrise’s Neonatal Intensive Care unit (NICU), where three-quarters of the newborns are covered by Medicaid. A day of NICU care can cost the hospital thousands of dollars. Medicaid reimbursement is only $1,500 per day per baby. In 2017 Sunrise had a Medicaid deficit cost of $77 million before some supplemental payments kicked in. Read More

In the Las Vegas Sun article on Dec. 18, 2018 titled “Hospital Wants Spotlight On Low Medicaid Reimbursements” Yvonne Gonzalez writes that millions in losses triggered by low Medicaid reimbursements are setting the stage for possible cuts that would impact every patient at Sunrise Hospital. The article explains that Nevada reimburses hospitals for only 57% of Medicaid patients’ costs. In 2017 Sunrise’s Medicaid losses have risen to an unsustainable increase of 91% since 2012. The hospital is working to raise awareness of the effects of low Medicaid reimbursement through its Every Baby Counts NV initiative. Read More

In a Nevada Independent Dec. 11, 2018 article titled “Sunrise Highlights Neonatal Care in Campaign to Increase Medicaid Reimbursement Rates” Megan Messerly writes that 75% of the babies in Sunrise’s neonatal intensive care unit are on Medicaid and the hospital treats 1,000 babies in the NICU yearly. As a safety net hospital, Sunrise provides care to Southern Nevada’s sickest patients. The article explains that if Sunrise doesn’t receive additional financial help via an increase in Medicaid reimbursement rates, it will not be able to continue providing its current services. To educate the public and legislators on the need for increased Medicaid reimbursement, Sunrise has launched the Every Baby Counts NV campaign. It hopes to shrink the millions it lost on Medicaid billings last year, which is a 91% increase in losses since 2012. Read More