AHA, Other Hospital Groups Announce Deal to Cut $155 Billion to Help Pay For Health Reform - July 8, 2009

Earlier today, the American Hospital Association joined two other national hospital associations in making a deal with the Senate Finance Committee and the White House to cut $155 billion and use the money to help finance health reform legislation. The deal includes cuts to Medicaid and Medicare Disproportionate Share (DSH) payments totaling approximately $50 billion with 10 percent cuts per year from 2015 through 2019. NAPH President Larry S. Gage and Lawrence McAndrews, President and CEO of the National Association of Children's Hospitals (N.A.C.H.) released a statement today saying that while the two organizations support health care reform, they oppose the cuts to DSH funding included in the deal. The statement reiterated NAPH and N.A.C.H.'s support for the draft House legislation's provisions on DSH, which contain no cuts, but include a study to determine the ongoing need for and targeting of DSH payments in 2016. Click here for a copy of the NAPH and N.A.C.H. joint press statement.