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Hundreds of hospital and health system leaders today urged senators and representatives to support key priorities, including additional COVID-19 relief, during Congress’ lame-duck session.

During an advocacy event, AHA leaders discussed the need to urge Congress to:

• provide COVID-19 relief, including additional money for the provider relief fund; federal liability protections; support for front-line health care workers; coverage for the uninsured; and full accelerated payment forgiveness for all hospitals;
• eliminate cuts to the Medicaid disproportionate share hospital program in the next fiscal year; and
• extend the congressionally enacted moratorium on the application of the Medicare sequester cuts until the public health emergency ends.

The AHA today also released two new resources – a fact sheet on why more federal support is needed to help hospitals and health systems weather the third COVID-19 wave and a fact sheet on how the pandemic has resulted in bankruptcies or closures for some hospitals.

AHA members today received an Action Alert, which includes more details and resources on the lame-duck priorities.