Published: May 06, 2009 09:16 pm      

BRMC requests rate hike

BLUEFIELD — Bluefield Regional Medical Center is seeking a rate increase, according to information contained in a legal advertisement released in Wednesday’s edition of the Bluefield Daily Telegraph. According to the legal notice, BRMC filed for the increase on March 30.

“Bluefield Regional Medical Center has filed for a 5.75 rate increase in accordance with the West Virginia Health Care Authority guidelines,” Rebecca Ritter, BRMC spokesperson said. “If the authority approves the request, the increase will effect in-patient and out-patient charges and will be effective on July 1.”

Ritter added that the “rate increase is necessary to deal with increases in hospital costs.”

The hospital’s 2010 fiscal year begins on July 1. BRMC filed the rate increase as part of the FY 2010 operating budget, according to the legal notice. The application and BRMC’s proposed budget are available for public inspection at the W.Va. Health Care Authority office, 100 Dee Drive in Charleston.

The authority requires hospitals to publish rate increase requests 30 days after filing them. The authority “collects and disseminates financial data on health care facilities, including hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, hospice agencies, behavioral health centers and ambulatory surgical centers,” according to the authority’s web site. The authority’s 2008 annual report contained data from 356 facilities that provide services to residents in West Virginia.

— Contact Bill Archer at barcher@bdtonline.com