Perspective: Working Together to Advance Health in America

When President Biden signed legislation on Wednesday eliminating the 2% across-the-board cut to all Medicare payments until the end of 2021, it extended needed relief to doctors, hospitals and other providers caring for patients and vaccinating communities. 

The legislation, which received strong bipartisan support in the Senate and the House, demonstrates the urgent need to keep hospitals, health systems and our courageous caregivers strong as they continue to battle the pandemic. 

Getting this critical legislation approved is the latest example of what we’ve been able to accomplish when we unite as a field and stand up for patients and communities.     

Since the COVID-19 pandemic upended nearly every facet of hospitals’ and health systems’ operations more than a year ago, our message to policymakers has been consistent: Hospitals are cornerstones of their communities. Hospitals are islands of stability and compassion amidst a sea of chaos. And in a time of rapid transformation, hospitals and health systems must remain agile, ready and responsive both during and after the pandemic. 

We’ve been successful in securing significant financial resources and regulatory flexibility to allow hospitals and health systems to remain open, care for patients and save lives.  

Please take a look at this video to see some of the things we’ve accomplished together during the past year. 

Working collectively, we have achieved some important wins on behalf of patients and the communities we serve. However, there is plenty left to do. Neither the pandemic nor its devastating impact on hospital finances is behind us. And, we must apply the learnings of this experience to rebuild and reimagine the health care system to provide better care at a lower cost.

For that reason we will make sure policymakers understand that the current focus on infrastructure funding must also include physical and technical upgrades to hospitals. And on the people side, we need investment in the mental and behavioral health resources that lead to a well-trained and nimble workforce – one equipped with the skills to integrate technology and data to match the future pace of health care innovation.

As you continue to serve patients and communities every day, we’ll be working on your behalf to make sure you have the resources and support you need. Thank you for all you do every day to advance health in America.