In a Jan. 22 letter to Congressional leaders, 75 healthcare organizations urged lawmakers to reauthorize funding for seven key federal programs.
The organizations argued for the reauthorization of the Community Health Center Fund, Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital payment funding, Medicare Therapy Cap Extension, Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program, Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, National Health Service Corps and Physician Fee Schedule Geographic Practice Cost Index Parity Policy.
"This lapse in authorization and funding, coupled with the continuous enactment of short-term patches, has put in jeopardy healthcare services for seniors on Medicare and patients in underserved communities, resources for healthcare providers in rural communities and programs aimed at training primary care physicians," the letter's authors write.
Some of the organizations that signed the letter include America's Essential Hospitals, UnityPoint Health and the Massachusetts Medical Society.