Is 'Obamacare' to blame for hospital system's job cuts? - FOX 35 News Orlando

Orlando Regional Healthcare systems announced it will cut two to three percent of it's work force, beginning immediately, amounting to a reduction of 300 to 400 workers.

The hospital says all areas of operation will be affected including Orlando Regional Medical Center, MD Anderson Cancer Center, plus Winnie and Arnold Palmer Hospitals for children and babies.  In the company's press release, they cite a 20 percent cut in Medicaid reimbursements, and also blame "additional reforms that take effect over the next few years."

Conservative blogger Sarah Rumpf, of SunshineStateSarah.com, says that line says Obamacare is to blame.  

"When you are trying to artificially control medical prices and artificially lowering the reimbursement rates, you don't actually lower the cost of medical care," she said.

Rumpf likens the Medicaid cuts to owning a deli.

"If you had a sandwich shop, and you were selling your sandwiches for 5 dollars, and the government came along and said 'no you're only allowed to sell your sandwiches for two dollars apiece', you would have to change your policies. You might have to lay people off, you might have to use cheaper bread."

Congressman Alan Grayson said the cuts are not related to Obamacare, because Medicare and Medicaid are separate programs that will be strengthened in the next few years because of the Legislation.

"I think that that might be a mistaken impression," said Grayson.

Grayson understands what industry experts are predicting. Over the next few years, fewer emergency room visits will happen because of Obamacare, and he calls that a major positive.

"When you postpone any sort of coverage or care until people reach the emergency room, often it's too late. I'll give you a good  example of that, skin cancer. If you catch skin cancer early enough, it's almost always treatable and people live."

In Grayson's district alone, 400,000 people will have health care because of the law, and 30 million nationwide.

"I don't think people are going to stop getting sick anytime soon. They're going to have their customers. They're going to have the income they get from Medicare and Medicaid"

Grayson laughs at the naysayers.

"There are some people, who if it rains tomorrow, they're going to blame it on Obamacare, and if it doesn't rain tomorrow they're going to blame that on Obamacare too."

Industry analysts believe more health care providers will be making cuts, and Sarah Rumpf agrees.

"There's a point where you can not operate at a deficit forever, I mean we are trying to run our federal government that way, but private businesses just can't operate that way."

Orlando Regional Health Services says the cuts will not affect patient care. The example they gave was nursing administrators that lost their jobs will be able to reapply for nursing positions on the floor that are available.