Healthcare Stakeholders Pen Letter to Congress to Extend Medicare Sequester Cuts Moratorium

50 healthcare organizations coordinated with the Federation of American Hospitals to send the letter to Congress.

Federation of American Hospitals (FAH) is calling on Congressional leaders to extend the moratorium on Medicare sequester cuts until the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE).

In a letter signed by 50 healthcare organizations coordinating with FAH, signees explained the need for the extension.

"Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress has ensured that frontline healthcare providers have the resources necessary to keep our doors open to care for both COVID and non-COVID patients alike," the letter said. "While we are encouraged that the worst days of the Omicron variant are hopefully behind us, it is also abundantly clear that daily COVID infection rates, hospitalizations, and deaths remain exceedingly high."

The Protecting Medicare and American Farmers from Sequester Cuts Act was enacted in December 2021, authorizing a three-month delay of 2% Medicare sequester payment reductions beginning January 1, 2022 and ending March 31, 2022. This will be followed by a three-month delay of 1% Medicare sequester payment reductions beginning April 1, 2022 and ending June 30, 2022.

"The resumption of the Medicare sequester before the end of the PHE would unnecessarily hinder our caregiving abilities, especially when the emergence of a new, potentially more dangerous and/or contagious variant continues to loom," the letter stated.