I completed residency training at Boston Medical Center, so it saddens me to see they are going through difficult financial times.

BMC provides the majority of Medicaid care in Boston, and as such, are heavily dependent on the government to adequately reimburse for care to the poor and uninsured.

State budget cuts means that they will not be paid for the $64 million they provided in Medicaid care last year. The hospital will be forced to cut services to this population, including interpreters, transportation to the hospital, and primary care.

In these difficult financial times, governmental budget shortfalls will be the norm and future health care cuts are likely.

When your fiscal interests are nearly entirely at the hands of the government, you are at their mercy. It’s one reason why I’m wary of any system where the government is the only physician payer.