Congress Opposes Cuts to CMS Funding
The American Hospital Association reports that nearly half the Senate has signed a letter urging the Senate Budget Committee to protect access to hospital care for seniors, disabled and children by rejecting budget cuts to Medicare and Medicaid funding. Members from the House of Representatives are working on similar efforts. President Bush’s FY2008 budget proposal includes more than $100 million in reductions to Medicare and Medicaid over the next 5 years. “The AHA strongly opposes the proposed cuts, which will inflict real damage on hospitals’ ability to care for the children, seniors and disabled who depend on the Medicare and Medicaid programs.”
The Medicare reduction includes $30 million in cuts targeted at hospital services including inpatient and outpatient payment updates, rehabilitation facilities, and bad dept payments. Reductions to Medicaid are in addition to the recent $4 billion regulatory cuts proposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Senators Blanche Lincoln (AR) and Pat Roberts (KS) are circulating a letter (pdf) asking their colleagues to reject efforts to cut CMS funding. From the House, Representatives Richard Neal (MA) and Phil English (PA) are leading similar efforts with a letter (pdf) requesting that the House Budget Committee protect access to hospital care for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. The letters detail hospitals’ growing cost pressures and negative Medicare margins. Senator Lincoln states, “the budget cuts would place an unsustainable strain on our hospitals, and I strongly urge the Budget Committee to fight these cuts and give hospitals the necessary resources to provide care to those who need it the most.”
March 2, 2007 Related topics: Legal & legislative, Finance