Deeper LSU hospital cuts being discussed today

Published Oct 4, 2012 at 10:00 am (Updated Oct 4, 2012)

The LSU System governing board is considering whether to make deeper budget cuts to the university's 10-hospital system that cares for the poor and uninsured, as a way to prepare for future drops in funding. The Board of Supervisors meets today to talk about the cut proposals, which were developed by new hospital system chief Frank Opelka in close consultation with Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration. The Jindal administration has stripped a quarter of the health system's funding in response to a drop in federal Medicaid financing. Opelka, LSU's executive vice president for health care and medical education redesign, asked hospital administrators to devise scenarios for cutting up to 34.5% of each hospital's budget. However, he hasn't said whether he'll suggest that level of slashing to the supervisory board.