BRIEF: Hospitals on standby as Obamacare repeal moves forward

Jan. 13--Local hospital executives are waiting to react after the U.S. House of Representatives took another step toward repealing the Affordable Care Act, voting Friday to pass a budget resolution already passed by the Senate a day earlier that would allow Congress to change portions of the law.

But congressional Republicans have yet to agree on a replacement plan, which has raised concerns for hospitals and other health care providers who have seen their costs for treating the uninsured reduced dramatically as a result of the health insurance law.

Craig Self, chief strategy officer for Dayton-based Premier Health -- the largest hospital network in southwest Ohio -- said network officials are keeping a close eye on the Obamacare repeal drive in Washington, D.C.

"We're trying to intellectually think through what the potential (impact) could be, but we're not making substantive strategic decisions based on "what if,"" Self said. "We're purposefully minimizing being reactive."

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