Trauma centers facing high uncompensated costs may see some financial relief if a bill introduced in the Senate becomes law.
The National Trauma Care Stabilization Act (S 2319 [http://thomas.loc.gov]), introduced November 7, authorizes grants totaling $100 million for fiscal year 2009 and "such sums as necessary" for years 2010-2014 for trauma centers facing substantial uncompensated care, for day-to-day costs associated with running such a facility, and for emergency relief for centers at risk of closing or experiencing increased patient loads because another center in a region has closed or downgraded its operations.
Sen Patty Murray (D, Wash), who introduced the legislation, said in a release that the bill "will ensure that increased health care costs and charity care doesn't block access to the trauma care Americans rely on."
The bill is endorsed by the National Foundation for Trauma Care, a nonprofit organization seeking to secure the . . . [Full Text of this Article]
