Leaders of the House Energy and Commerce and Senate Finance committees today asked Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to clarify by June 10 the agency’s plan and timeline for disbursing COVID-19 emergency relief funds to Medicaid-dependent providers.

“As the chairs and ranking members of the committees of jurisdiction over the Medicaid program, we are concerned that the delay in disbursing funds from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund for Medicaid-dependent providers could result in long term financial hardship for providers who serve some of our most vulnerable populations,” wrote Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., and Ranking Member Greg Walden, R-Ore., and Senate Finance Chairman Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore. “It could also severely hamper their ability to continue to serve as essential providers amid the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.”

AHA yesterday urged HHS to quickly distribute additional emergency funds to all hospitals, including hospitals serving high numbers of Medicaid and uninsured patients, among other recommendations.

Related News Articles

Headline
AHA's latest social media toolkit for encouraging vaccination against the flu and COVID-19 provides fall-themed social media posts and graphics. Download the…
Headline
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week endorsed a recommendation for people aged 65 and older and for immunocompromised individuals to…
Headline
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Oct. 22 released final guidance detailing reporting requirements for the hospital respiratory data condition…
Headline
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reminding clinicians and other health care workers to take necessary steps to keep themselves and their…
Headline
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Oct. 16 approved section 1115 demonstration amendments which will allow Medicaid and Children's Health…
Headline
The National Institutes of Health Oct. 10 released results of a study that found that infection from COVID-19 in the first wave of the pandemic appeared to…