FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON — America’s Essential Hospitals (AEH) sent a letter to the leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Energy and Commerce, specifically calling on the committee to protect Medicaid from devastating cuts during its budget reconciliation negotiations.
AEH urged the committee to reject budget reconciliation-related proposals that would harm the Medicaid program such as: repealing the Medicaid eligibility rule, implementing Medicaid work requirements, changing the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) rates for Medicaid, and placing harmful per capita caps on federal Medicaid funding — all of which would result in significant barriers to care for low-income and working-class families.
Highlight Quotes:
PROTECT MEDICAID
“As the House moves forward with budget reconciliation, AEH is deeply concerned about policies that would dramatically change the Medicaid program in a manner that could hurt essential health care providers and patients nationwide…[specifically] that the House budget resolution’s instructions to…identify $880 billion in savings would largely come from substantial cuts to Medicaid.”
“Cuts to Medicaid of this magnitude are contrary to President Trump’s commitment to ‘love and cherish’ Medicaid, and his promise that ‘none of [Medicaid] is going to be touched.’”
“State Medicaid programs will not be able to sustain cuts of this magnitude without significant changes to their programs that will reduce access and threaten the ability of many essential hospitals and other safety net providers to stay open.”
PROTECT ESSENTIAL HOSPITALS
“[Essential hospitals] play an indispensable role in keeping all Americans healthy and form the fabric of our nation’s health care safety net…Medicaid payments allow essential hospitals to keep their doors open and provide care for everyone in the community.”
“In many areas, essential hospitals are the only hospitals in the region that offer trauma and burn care…are becoming the primary labor and delivery care options in many communities… [and] are major employers in the communities they serve.”
# # #
About America’s Essential Hospitals
America’s Essential Hospitals is the leading association and champion for hospitals dedicated to equitable, high-quality care for all, including those who face social and financial barriers to care. Since 1981, America’s Essential Hospitals has advanced policies and programs that promote health, health care access, and equity. We support our more than 350 members with advocacy, policy development, research, education, and leadership development. Communities depend on essential hospitals for care across the continuum, health care workforce training, research, public health and health equity, and other services. Essential hospitals innovate and adapt to lead all of health care toward better outcomes and value.
Contact:
media@essentialhospitals.org
Author