It’s a new year but Congress has some old business to attend to—including many critical hospital and health system priorities.  Both Houses of Congress will be back in session next week. Front and center is legislation to keep the government open past January 19. Also on Congress’ to-do list are hospital priorities such as long-term funding of the Children’s Health Insurance Program, eliminating Medicaid disproportionate-share hospital cuts, extending important Medicare programs for rural hospitals, stopping the harmful 340B cuts in the outpatient rule and private market stabilization, among other things. On top of these items, loom the issues of raising our nation’s debt ceiling—or borrowing limit—as well as another potential revisiting of the Affordable Care Act and, possibly, entitlement reform. As Congress does its work, we in the hospital and health system field must remain vigilant against any cuts to our elderly, poor and disabled patients served by Medicare or Medicaid. Please make it your resolution to weigh in with your members of Congress on protecting hospital and health system priorities that will allow us to better care for our patients and communities. That’s a resolution that we can all get behind.  

Related News Articles

Headline
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee yesterday voted 12-11 along party lines to recommend the confirmation of Brian Christine, M.D., to…
Headline
The House Ways and Means Subcommittees on Health and Oversight held a joint hearing today to discuss lessons learned, challenges and opportunities to improve…
Headline
The AHA today expressed support for the Medicare Mental Health Inpatient Equity Act, a bill that would eliminate the 190-day lifetime limit on inpatient…
Headline
Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., and Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., today introduced the 340B Patients Act, AHA-supported legislation that would codify 340B providers'…
Headline
The AHA July 16 filed an amicus brief in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado in defense of the state’s 340B contract pharmacy law prohibiting…
Headline
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., July 15 introduced legislation that would repeal some of the Medicaid funding reductions included in the recently enacted One Big…