Senate Champions Circulating “Dear Colleague Letter” Requesting Smaller DSH Cuts in Reform - October 27, 2009

Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) are circulating a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and other Senate leaders asking the leadership to lower the proposed DSH cuts in the Senate reform legislation. The letter stresses the importance of maintaining DSH funds to ensure the stability of safety net hospitals and their ability to continue to care for the remaining uninsured and increased numbers of low-income Medicaid patients after health reform legislation is passed. When it moves to the floor, the Senate health reform legislation is expected to cut Medicaid DSH by $22.2 billion and Medicare DSH by $22.5 billion over ten years.

NAPH alerted hospital government relations staff, asking them to contact their senators to ask them to join their colleagues in signing onto the letter. Senate offices may agree to sign the letter by contacting Rose Baumann in Sen. Klobuchar’s office at rose_baumann@klobuchar.senate.gov, 202-224-3244 or Shari Swaaley in Sen. Gillibrand’s office at shari_swaaley@gillibrand.senate.gov, 202-224-4451. The deadline for signatures is Wednesday, Oct. 28.