The Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association has poured $200,000 into TV commercials and a radio ad campaign designed to rouse Virginians to oppose a regulatory bill before the General Assembly, according to The Washington Post.
In a perilous tone reminiscent of political attack ads, a voice-over on the TV ad claims, "The General Assembly is voting on legislation that will financially ruin your local hospital, putting lives at risk, impacting life-saving medical procedures for young and old. Eliminating emergency services that save lives. Good-paying jobs are gone. Your local hospital could lose. You'll pay more for medical care and get less. Call your legislator now," according to The Washington Post.
The advertisements are running in the western half of the state, including Charlottesville, Roanoke, Lynchburg and rural areas bordering Tennessee and West Virginia.
The ads aim to thwart legislation, sponsored by Del. John M. O'Bannon III (R-Henrico), to repeal healthcare laws that critics argue produce local monopolies and impede innovation. The bill aligns with a national push to throw out regulations that require state pre-approval of hospital expansions, building surgery centers and offering certain other medical services, according to the report.
However, some hospitals argue measures such as the certificate of public need are necessary to control the cost of healthcare services and protect the facilities that care for larger proportions of indigent patients.
The bill is up for debate in the House of Delegates Feb. 12, and a final vote in the chamber is expected the next day, according to the report.
Matthew Moran, a spokesman for House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford) criticized the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association's ads, saying, "It is unfortunate to see the overreach in the rhetoric; these claims are absolutely baseless. Demagoguing lawmakers and misleading their constituents is not how to have a productive conversation on such a significant issue. Everyone expects candid and frank discussion, but this approach will damage their relationship with legislators."
However, Julian Walker, the hospital association's spokesman, said the ads fairly portray the risks facing hospitals if the bill is approved.
"Between unfunded mandates and growing funding cuts, Virginia's local hospitals are already in a precarious position," said Mr. Walker, according to the report. "Under current conditions, many Virginia hospitals have struggled with negative operating margins in recent years. Those challenges are particularly pronounced in rural areas. Weakening COPN through wholesale or piecemeal repeal legislation would make the problem worse, risking hospital stability, our economy and healthcare access, particularly in rural communities."