House and Senate committee leaders raised concerns about delays in federal funds to Medicaid providers in a June 3 letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar.
The letter, signed by leaders from the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Senate Committee on Finance, questioned delays in disbursement from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act invested $100 billion into the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund for healthcare providers.
The lawmakers called for a separate distribution from the fund for providers who rely on Medicaid. They said delays in funding will lead to long-term financial hardship for providers who serve vulnerable populations and negatively affect their future operations.
The leaders asked HHS to provide an updated timeline of when the allocated funds will be distributed and what contributed to the delays.
Read the full letter here.