Things just got a little more difficult for the under-insured and uninsured.
Gov. Charlie Crist pushed through the $70.2 billion state budget on Friday after cutting out $371 million in projects and spending, including $9.7 million in funding for Shands at UF. The money was cut from programs that would help the hospital care for patients who cannot afford treatment.
The cut is going to directly affect the people who need the funding the most. People who cannot afford medical care are not going to magically find a way to come up with another $9.7 million.
These cuts are going to force some tough decisions to be made by the Shands higher-ups. They may have to restrict the number of people who can get care or where people must live in order to be eligible for free or reduced-cost care.
This is a position no doctor wants to be in. They are committed to helping everyone possible remain healthy and live a full life, but this cut in funding makes that an impossibility.
Shands is the leading teaching hospital in the state, and everyone should have the opportunity to take advantage of the services offered if they need.
The newly independent Charlie Crist should be ashamed of himself. If he was not already facing some dire straits politically we would have to advocate against him in his upcoming race for the U.S. Senate.
