Advocate

Jobs Bill Update:

On December 16, the House passed the Jobs for Main Street Act to create and save American jobs. This legislation included an extension of the enhanced federal Medicaid contribution (FMAP) originally included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The House bill extends the FMAP enhancement through June 30, 2011.

Currently, the Senate is working quickly to pass its own version of legislation to stimulate job growth. NAPH and its partners are urging Senators to include a similar enhanced FMAP extension in their jobs bill. NAPH supports including the extension of enhanced FMAP on the first available legislative vehicle—including either a Senate jobs bill or unemployment insurance/COBRA extension legislation. NAPH is also urging Senators to include an extension of state DSH allotment increases as well as a clarification of the definition of "hospital-based physicians" for the purposes of HIT incentive payments. The incentive payments and DSH allotment increases were originally included in last year's stimulus legislation. We encourage you to reach out to your congressional delegation and ask them to support the inclusion of enhanced FMAP and DSH allotments in addition to the clarification of the definition of “hospital-based physicians.”

Learn more about NAPH’s positions regarding enhanced FMAP and DSH, as well as a clarification of the definition of "hospital-based physicians."

Health Reform Update:

State Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) won a surprising upset victory over State Attorney General Martha Coakley (D-MA) in a special election race to fill a seat formerly held by the late Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA). Senator-elect Brown has pledged to cast the deciding vote to uphold a Republican filibuster on the health care reform legislation, which is being negotiated by House and Senate Democratic leaders. As Republicans will hold enough votes to effectively kill the legislation in the Senate, Democrats are scrambling to find another way to pass a bill. The most discussed scenario involves the House passing the legislation approved by the Senate in December - thus requiring no further Senate action. As a result, Democratic leaders could choose to pass a budget reconciliation bill as an add-on to the health care reform measure. Such a bill could change key aspects of the health reform bill, but would be limited by Senate rule to only include provisions that would directly affect revenues or spending.

Safety Net Hospitals Support Comprehensive Health Reform

American’s safety net hospitals strongly support the passage of comprehensive health care reform legislation. Our hospitals – which care for all patients, regardless of ability to pay – see first-hand the acute need for change. The status quo is unsustainable – Congress and the Administration must enact meaningful health reform that supports the needs of vulnerable patients and the safety net hospitals providing their care.

Final legislation should:

• Limit cuts to Medicaid and Medicare Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments
• Extend 340B drug discounts to inpatient setting
• Authorize and support Community-Based Collaborative Care Networks (CCNs) 

Safety net leaders took to the airwaves in September 2009 
to share their hopes for health care reform - Listen here.