CMS Administrator Seema Verma received a letter from 14 Texas lawmakers calling on the agency to allow independent freestanding emergency centers to bill federal health insurance programs amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The April 13 letter, authored by U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington, R, and signed by other congressional leaders from Texas including Sen. Ted Cruz, R, said recognizing independent freestanding ERs as Medicare and Medicaid-approved facilities would help with overcrowding and healthcare access in underserved areas.
"Across the state of Texas alone, there are more than 200 freestanding emergency centers with 1,500 beds that stand ready to relieve the burden on hospitals and treat both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients needing emergent care," according to the letter. "The FEC presence throughout the state is equivalent to three large, 500-bed hospitals whose estimated $1.5 billion of infrastructure can be turned on overnight without any capital expenditure at all by the government."
Federal regulations don't allow freestanding ERs to bill Medicare and Medicaid unless they are affiliated with a hospital.
Read the full letter here.