With the six-week August recess underway, America’s Essential Hospitals encourages association members to connect with their delegations for in-district events and meetings.
During this period, the association is advancing direct advocacy efforts that will be shared with lawmakers upon their return in September. Members should watch for communications from our team regarding a letter urging Congress to eliminate the pending Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) funding cut—scheduled to take effect Sept. 30, alongside the expiration of several other health care provisions. We also are engaging with offices that previously led the House Dear Colleague letter advocating against the cuts.
With a continuing resolution one of several possible government funding options at the end of September, our team will be ready to mobilize as often as needed to ensure Medicaid DSH funding remains a priority on Capitol Hill.
Medicare Advantage
There has been strong bicameral, bipartisan interest in improving the Medicare Advantage (MA) program for both patients and providers. In the House, Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), ranking member of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health, and fellow subcommittee member Greg Murphy, MD (R-N.C.), introduced The Prompt and Fair Pay Act, requiring MA to adequately reimburse providers for services offered to those enrolled in these private plans. America’s Essential Hospitals has endorsed this legislation. Contact our team with any questions.
Additionally, Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) plan to introduce legislation focused on essential community providers, a group that encompasses several hospital types. It aims to increase reasonable and timely access to MA plans for low-income, rural, and health professional shortage areas by requiring MA plans to negotiate with essential community providers and include them in their networks. America’s Essential Hospitals has endorsed this pending legislation ahead of its introduction.
Committee Activity This Week
The House and Senate will return from August recess on Sept. 2.
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