As the government makes its final decisions on health reform regulations, Richard Umbdenstock and the American Hospital Association are watching closely. In April, the Obama administration released a preliminary proposal that would cut payments by 0.1 percent on average per patient, on top of the 0.25 percent cut hospitals will experience under healthcare reform.
At the time, Mr. Umbdenstock commented on the potential negative effects of the proposed payment cuts, saying, "Should this rule take effect, billions of dollars would be taken out of the system just as hospitals are grappling with sweeping changes and payment reductions contained in the new health reform legislation."
In a 2009 interview with Kaiser Health News, Mr. Umbdenstock discussed the financial obstacles hospitals are facing in the economic downturn. He said while a hospital may look financially strong from the outside, construction projects and renovations often mask deep-seated financial issues. "It's hard to drive by a hospital from the outside and see that it's struggling," he said. "But the economic downturn has hit hospitals especially hard. It's not just that the cost of capital and the cost of goods and services is higher and there's lower [patient] volumes. We are also seeing a significant increase in charity care and bad debt."
Mr. Umbdenstock currently serves as president and CEO of the AHA and is a past chair of the AHA board of trustees. Prior to leading the AHA, he was executive vice president of Providence Health and Services in Renton, Wash., and president and CEO of Providence Services in Spokane, Wash.
Mr. Umbdenstock has 11 years experience as an independent consultant for voluntary hospital governing boards. With the AHA, he has served as a member of the AHA executive committee, chaired the operations committee and served as an ex-officio member of Regional Policy Board 9. In addition to his work with hospitals and hospital associations, Mr. Umbdenstock has written several books and articles for the hospital board audience and authored national survey reports for the AHA and its health research and education trust.
Mr. Umbdenstock earned his master's degree in health services administration from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Read more on notable hospital leaders:
-Hospital Industry Leader to Know: Jeff Brickman of Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center
-Hospital Industry Leader to Know: Jack Cleary, New CEO of Illinois' West Suburban Hospital
At the time, Mr. Umbdenstock commented on the potential negative effects of the proposed payment cuts, saying, "Should this rule take effect, billions of dollars would be taken out of the system just as hospitals are grappling with sweeping changes and payment reductions contained in the new health reform legislation."
In a 2009 interview with Kaiser Health News, Mr. Umbdenstock discussed the financial obstacles hospitals are facing in the economic downturn. He said while a hospital may look financially strong from the outside, construction projects and renovations often mask deep-seated financial issues. "It's hard to drive by a hospital from the outside and see that it's struggling," he said. "But the economic downturn has hit hospitals especially hard. It's not just that the cost of capital and the cost of goods and services is higher and there's lower [patient] volumes. We are also seeing a significant increase in charity care and bad debt."
Mr. Umbdenstock currently serves as president and CEO of the AHA and is a past chair of the AHA board of trustees. Prior to leading the AHA, he was executive vice president of Providence Health and Services in Renton, Wash., and president and CEO of Providence Services in Spokane, Wash.
Mr. Umbdenstock has 11 years experience as an independent consultant for voluntary hospital governing boards. With the AHA, he has served as a member of the AHA executive committee, chaired the operations committee and served as an ex-officio member of Regional Policy Board 9. In addition to his work with hospitals and hospital associations, Mr. Umbdenstock has written several books and articles for the hospital board audience and authored national survey reports for the AHA and its health research and education trust.
Mr. Umbdenstock earned his master's degree in health services administration from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Read more on notable hospital leaders:
-Hospital Industry Leader to Know: Jeff Brickman of Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center
-Hospital Industry Leader to Know: Jack Cleary, New CEO of Illinois' West Suburban Hospital