Affordable Care Act or not, Roosevelt General Hospital and Plains Regional Medical Center officials say they already serve the uninsured and underprivileged in Roosevelt and Curry counties.

If President Barack Obamas health care bill were to be fully enacted in 2014, officials noted the changes they would see wouldnt be in who they serve, but how they serve.

According to Hoyt Skabelund, administrator of Plains Regional in Clovis, about 10 percent of their patients do not have any form of insurance and that is not including those below 200 percent of the poverty limit.

Our belief is, we provide care regardless of (a patients) ability to pay, Skabelund said.

Under the individual mandate of the health care bill, their uninsured patients will be required to have some form of health care.

(The individual mandate) will increase the number of paying patients, relieving pressure off health care providers and increasing the reimbursements issued to (providers), Skabelund said.

He added that the bill has provided clarity for how they will operate come 2014.

Weve been waiting to find out whats our future and how to coordinate higher quality care, Skabelund said.

Skabelund highlighted other impacts Obamas health care bill will have on Plains Regional:

Having more insured patients will prevent cost-shifting.

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