FARMINGTON – Franklin Memorial Hospital is hosting a meeting next week on the local effects of President Bush’s proposed $196 billion in cuts to Medicaid and Medicare programs over the next five years.

“It could be devastating and has the potential of doing great harm to the most vulnerable population and harm to all citizens,” Richard Batt, president of Franklin Community Health Network, said Friday.

FCHN will host a public meeting from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Feb. 26 in the Bass Room at Franklin Memorial Hospital to discuss the local impact of the proposal. Representatives from the state Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services will attend to explain the proposed changes, he said.

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said the proposed cuts are to help stop the Medicare program from going broke by 2019, according to a published report. The majority of the Medicare cuts would come from reducing fees paid to hospitals, nursing homes and hospices.

The cuts will affect health care services for the elderly, persons with developmental disabilities, school-aged children and people with mental illness, some of Maine’s poorest and most vulnerable residents, Batt said.

The five Medicaid rule changes target case management for Medicaid members, rehabilitation services, reimbursement for hospital-based physicians, school administrative activities and transportation of school-age students to and from school and a change in providing seed money to secure matching federal funds. The changes are due to take effect from February through July of this year.

There will be a significant impact on MaineCare, the state insurance program for the needy, although details of how the changes will affect organizations and clients has not been fully identified, Batt said.

Some of the proposed changes will result in less federal funding to schools for costs associated with special education programs. The services are mandated by federal law so town and state taxpayers may have to pay for them, he added.

One proposed cut affects Maine hospitals that employ physicians, Batt said. FMH employs almost 60 physicians.

“It could destabilize physician coverage and not just for Medicare patients. We’d have a tough time holding medical practices together if these cuts are taken. It has the potential to destabilize the entire health care system. There’s no way the hospital can tighten their belt and continue business as usual,” Batt said.

Both Health and Human Services Commissioner Brenda Harvey and Education Commissioner Susan Gendron implied there is a chance to make changes, Batt said.

“It is important that we be well informed about what is going to happen and that we think about whether we can influence the proposed changes,” he said.

For more information, visit www.fchn.org or call Janis Walker at 645-3136, ext. 5100.