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The AHA June 29 sent a letter to senators urging them to amend the budget reconciliation bill before its final passage in the Senate. The Senate version of the bill proposes even greater cuts to Medicaid than the House-passed version. 

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., drafted an amendment to the bill that would dramatically impact Medicaid expansion states. The amendment would require any Medicaid beneficiary who temporarily loses coverage and reapplies to be enrolled at the traditional Medicaid Federal Medical Assistance Percentage rather than the 90% federal match rate. The Senate is expected to vote on the amendment during the ongoing “vote-a-rama.” The vote did not occur as of press time.

“The magnitude of nearly a trillion-dollar reduction to the Medicaid program cannot be characterized solely as waste, fraud and abuse,” AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack said in the letter to senators. “The real-life consequences of these reductions will result in irreparable harm to access to care for all Americans and undermine the ability of hospitals and health systems to care for our most vulnerable patients.” 

The AHA will continue to monitor the latest developments of the budget reconciliation bill.