Speaking Up for Patients and Protecting Access to Care

One month from today — March 14 — government funding expires, and congressional action is needed to keep the government running. At the end of March, several key health care provisions that Congress temporarily extended in the December funding bill are set to run out unless lawmakers act.

At the same time, House and Senate Republicans continue moving forward on plans to use the budget reconciliation process — a tool that gives Congress a fast-track mechanism to avoid the Senate filibuster and pass legislation with a simple majority — to push through priorities on taxes, border security, energy and deficit reduction. As part of these efforts, they are considering proposals that would reduce funding for hospital care, including significant reductions to the Medicaid program, jeopardizing access to the 24/7 care and services that hospitals provide.

All of these issues, as well the need for Congress to raise the debt ceiling in the coming months, are heating up, and it’s more important than ever for hospitals and health systems to engage with their federal lawmakers and urge them to protect access to 24/7 hospital care for patients across America.

Last week, we released an Action Alert that provides a number of new advocacy resources on key issues — health care extenders, Medicaid, enhanced premium tax credits, so-called site-neutral payment proposals and the 340B Drug Pricing Program — that support your advocacy efforts with your lawmakers.

For the key health care extenders that need to be enacted by the end of next month, please ask your senators and representatives to prevent Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payment cuts from taking effect; extend enhanced low-volume adjustment and Medicare-dependent hospital programs that expand access to care in rural areas; and extend telehealth and hospital-at-home waivers.

In your discussions with your legislators, please continue to share the valuable role your hospital or health system plays for their constituents in the community they represent and urge them to support policies to advance health and reject cuts that would jeopardize access to hospital care and services that patients rely on.

Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare. While you deliver these important messages to your lawmakers and the AHA makes the case in Washington, please know that the Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare is ramping up its efforts to protect Medicaid and Medicare funding for hospital care. The Coalition, of which the AHA is a founding member, has more than 2.6 million advocates who will be engaging in grassroots activities with their legislators across the country. In addition, the Coalition will be running national and targeted multimedia campaigns highlighting the need to protect access to care and services for patients. 

With much at stake in coming weeks and months, it is vital that we continue to face health care’s challenges together, speaking as one voice to protect the blue and white “H” as a beacon of healing, hope and health in every community nationwide.

Watch for more Action Alerts and resources from the AHA to assist your advocacy efforts as we work together to advance health in America.