Barbour: Hospitals may close

The Clarion-Ledger, 7/12/8

Some hospitals and nursing homes could shut down, doctors could stop seeing patients and thousands of health- care workers could lose their jobs statewide, according to providers responding to $375 million in Medicaid cuts revealed late Friday.

The cuts also would affect home health care agencies, pharmacists, dentists and others, according to documents filed by Gov. Haley Barbour, a Republican who oversees the program that serves nearly 600,000 Mississippians.

Providers will review the cuts Monday and decide their next move.