PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- A new payment formula by the federal Medicare program will bring an additional $7.1 million to four community hospitals in Rhode Island next year.
"This is a big boost," said Edward J. Quinlan, president of the Hospital Association of Rhode Island. Quinlan said the rule change results from "a seven-year struggle" to fix a payment formula under which Medicare paid higher amounts to hospitals in Providence County than those in Kent, Newport and Washington Counties.
Now the rates will be similar statewide, in the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. The affected hospitals and the additional payments they expect to reap next year are: Newport Hospital, $1.32 million; Kent Hospital, $3.26 million; South County Hospital, $1.31 million; and Westerly Hospital, $1.19 million.