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Bayhealth on track with new Milford hospital

Carper, Bayhealth CEO concerned about healthcare cuts
July 12, 2017

A recent tour of Bayhealth's new Milford campus gave state and local leaders the chance to speak out against the federal government's pending plan for a healthcare overhaul.

With construction buzzing in the background, Sen. Tom Carper joined representatives from the healthcare industry in criticizing the Trump administration's plan to overhaul the Affordable Care Act and potentially cut billions of dollars in funding to Medicaid programs nationwide.

"The plan proposed by the Republicans and backed by the House in Washington would reduce Medicaid funding by about $800 billion over the next 10 years," Carper said. The American Healthcare Act of 2017 was passed by the House in May, and the Senate's version, the Better Care Reconciliation Act, is similar in its changes.

"Donald Trump said, when he was running for president and after he was elected president, we want to have better healthcare coverage for people, we want it to be more affordable, and we want to have it for everybody," Carper said. "The legislation that's passed the House doesn't do any of those things. In fact, it takes away care for the least of these and provides tax cuts for people who, quite honestly, don't need tax cuts that much."

The BCRA could equate to a 25 percent cut in Medicaid funding for Delaware, an annual reduction of more than $350 million, said Bayhealth CEO Terry Murphy.

"It is important that that vital coverage be protected," he said.

The proposed healthcare changes will not impact ongoing construction of Bayhealth's new healthcare campus off Route 1 in Milford, he said. The 440,000-square-foot hospital on a 167-acre parcel at the corner of Wilkins and Cedar Creek roads is expected to open to patients in 2019. Bayhealth officials have estimated the facility will cost about $250 million.

"This is an example of Bayhealth's reinvestment back into Sussex County and the Milford community," Murphy said. "As a community asset, we're reinvesting not just for the next five years or 10 years, but for generations to come."

Murphy said more than 50 percent of the construction workers and materials have come from Delaware-based businesses.

Once complete, the new hospital will feature a first-floor emergency department, outpatient services and diagnostics; the second floor will include operating rooms and an intensive care unit; the third floor will feature women's services, including labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum rooms; the fourth floor with have a rehabilitation gym and 40 rehab beds; the fifth floor will include 24 acute-care beds and room for expansion; and the sixth floor will house 48 additional acute care beds. The facility also will have a helipad and a total of 128 private rooms.

Included on the campus is a 100,000-square-foot facility with children's services provided by Nemours, and a 70,000-square-foot outpatient center. For more, go to www.imagineDE.com.

 

 

 

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