Congress urged to remove hospital cuts from social spending bill

The AHA and seven other national organizations representing hospitals and health systems yesterday urged congressional leaders to remove the reductions to the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital program and uncompensated care pools from the social spending bill known as the Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376). 

“While we appreciate the goal of increasing coverage to residents in states that did not expand their Medicaid programs through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), it should not come at the expense of vital funding to facilities located in those parts of the country, especially at a time when hospitals are still providing care due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the deadly Delta variant,” the organizations wrote.

In the version of the BBB released Oct. 28, states that have yet to expand their Medicaid program face reductions in federal Medicaid DSH allotments and federal funding for uncompensated care pools. The Medicaid DSH cuts would be between $4.3 billion and $7.8 billion over 10 years (2023-2031). In addition, if a state that currently has expanded its Medicaid program chooses to discontinue expansion, its federal DSH allotment also would be reduced.