September 26, 2008

ACTION ALERT: TELL YOUR SENATORS TO SUPPORT PATH ACT!

Bill sponsored by NY senators would delay devastating cuts to Medicaid

Attention non-New Yorkers: Contact your senators today and tell them to support the Preserving Access to Healthcare (PATH) Act of 2008 (S.3656), which includes a six month moratorium on cuts to Medicaid outpatient payments. The Senate is expected to vote on the bill tonight. If you are a New Yorker, you can stop reading now, since Senators Schumer and Clinton were the bill's chief sponsors.

But if you are from any other state call the United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121. A switchboard operator will connect you directly with the Senate office you request. Ask to speak to your senator's health staffer, and tell that person you want your senator to support S.3656.

This Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regulation that could cripple health care access for poor and disabled people—including tens of thousands living with HIV/AIDS—in 18 states who rely on outpatient Medicaid care. The proposed cut to Medicaid outpatient services would narrow the definition and scope of covered Medicaid outpatient hospital services and reduce hospitals' Medicaid funding by $2.1 billion over five years, according to Congressional Budget Office estimates. To read more about the devastation this regulation would cause, click here.

In addition to the Medicaid delay, the bill would:

  • Put a six month delay on the Medicare Hospital Capital IME policy that is set to go into effect on Oct. 1.
  • Put a six month delay on the Medicaid Outpatient Clinic Rule.
  • Put a six month delay on the Medicare Hospice Rule set to go into effect on Oct. 1. Senators Harkin and Specter have a stand-alone bill on this with 29 cosponsors.
  • Delay a policy that affects California family planning services
  • Delay implementation of rural health clinic and community health center rule.
  • Require states to use coding procedures to eliminate fraud and abuse.



    • Email a link for this entry to a friend

    Email this entry to:


    Your email address:


    Message (optional):