House Republicans late last night introduced a stop-gap spending measure that would extend government funding until March 23, eliminate $5 billion in scheduled Medicaid disproportionate share hospital cuts for fiscal years 2018 and 2019, and extend several Medicare payment adjustments that support access in rural communities. Specifically, the bill would extend the Medicare-dependent hospital and low-volume adjustment programs for two years, and home health rural add-on and ground ambulance add-on payments for five years. It also would remove the mandate that meaningful use standards become more stringent over time, as advocated by the AHA, and expand access to telehealth services for stroke patients outside rural areas by eliminating a geographic requirement beginning in January 2021, among other changes. The bill would pay for new spending in part by reducing payments for hospital patients discharged to hospice care before the average Medicare length of stay. The House could vote on the CR as soon as tonight. Federal funding is set to expire on Feb. 8 without congressional action.

Related News Articles

Headline
The AHA Oct. 3 responded to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission’s recent analysis on the financial impacts of Medicare Advantage enrollment growth on…
Headline
The federal government shutdown will continue as the Senate Oct. 3 failed to adopt a government funding deal. The latest attempt to pass the House-passed…
Headline
A JAMA study published yesterday analyzed the health characteristics of individuals projected to lose Medicaid coverage due to work requirements included in…
Headline
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Sept. 30 issued a memo, through the Health Plan Management system, finalizing the Medicare Advantage…
Headline
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Sept. 30 released guidance to states clarifying its interpretation of a provision that…
Headline
The federal government shut down Oct. 1 following a failed Senate vote on the House-passed continuing resolution to fund the government by midnight Sept. 30.…