Beebe Hospital speaks out against HB350 proposal in Delaware

LEWES, Del. – Beebe Hospital is speaking out against HB350, which aims to control prices by setting spending caps for hospitals, which for Beebe alone would mean a 60 million dollar cut within two years.

Hospital Director and CEO Dr. David Tam says currently the hospital engages in 15 million dollars worth of additional services, more than they need to maintain their nonprofit status.

He tells us those cuts would also be felt by their on-site nursing program, which would have to scale back on admissions, class sizes, or both.

But he tells us the real costs would be borne by the patients, as the hospital would have to consider which treatments cost the least, not the one that makes the most sense to administer for the patient, or risk non-compliance with the law if it is enacted.

“We’re interested in having a dialog that looks at value more than simply just cost, right, value is the cost of something and also access the patients have to a service or and also actually quality, all three factors are in play,” Dr. Tam said, adding “And when you have a board that does not have the ability to determine those other factors, just how much something cost, you are really in a place where that’s potentially of concern to a health system and to patients themselves.”

Dr. Tam tells 47ABC he is proud of choices Beebe is able to make because they are able to absorb certain costs such as retaining all staff through Covid-19.

He tells the hospital cannot survive under a one-size-fits-all approach for the state, citing the increasingly older and sicker population in Sussex County, as well as the seasonal rise in population and admissions.

He tells he believes the additional seasonal workers that are brought on by the hospital to respond to those surges would be threatened.