CMS ended its provider agreement with I-70 Community Hospital in Sweet Springs, Mo., on March 7. Now, the hospital is fighting to get its funding back, according to The Concordian.
The Medicare contract termination came after the hospital voluntarily suspended its license for 90 days on Feb. 15. The hospital's owner, an affiliate of Kansas City, Mo.-based EmpowerHMS, entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy on March 21.
Shawnee, Okla.-based Cohesive Healthcare Management and Consulting took over operations of I-70 Community Hospital and is helping the hospital navigate its financial challenges. Cohesive is seeking to get the critical access hospital's Medicare contract back, and is meeting with leaders from the city of Sweet Springs to discuss options on April 18, according to The Concordian.
According to the Medicare termination notice, I-70 Community Hospital was not in compliance with provisions of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, and the deficiencies were "an immediate threat to patient health and safety."
The hospital's patient safety issues and financial challenges have sparked concern in the community. Several local residents attended a recent Sweet Springs Board of Aldermen meeting to request an update on a plan to reopen the facility, according to the report.
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