Senate Struggling to Move Jobs Bill—NAPH Pushing for FMAP and DSH Extensions - February 17, 2010

Senior Democrats in the Senate are struggling to bring a jobs bill to the floor, with leaders disagreeing on the scope of a package. Last week, Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-MT) and ranking Republican Charles Grassley (R-IA) announced that they had worked out a bipartisan jobs bill package. Majority leader Harry Reid (D-NV) promptly killed the Baucus/Grassley proposal, instead introducing a significantly smaller bill. Neither proposal includes two of NAPH’s top priorities: inclusion of extensions in enhanced Medicaid matching funds for states and increased Disproportionate Share Hospital allotments, which were originally included in last year’s recovery act. NAPH is urging the Senate to include the extensions in the next available legislative vehicle and has asked hospitals to weigh-in with their Senate offices. The chamber is expected to take up jobs bill legislation next week, after returning from the President’s Day recess.