Medicaid disproportionate share payments are a vital tool in helping community safety-net hospitals serve their generally low-income communities, but unless Congress acts, those payments will be slashed starting in October.

For this reason, the Alliance of Safety-Net Hospitals has asked the House of Representatives to support H.R. 2665, the Supporting Safety-Net Hospitals Act, which would delay the scheduled Medicaid DSH cut until FY 2027.

In its message to House members, ASH wrote that unless the cut is prevented,

…Medicaid DSH payments will be cut $8 billion a year beginning in 2024 – cuts that would fall heavily on the backs of community safety-net hospitals and the generally low-income communities they serve.  These community safety-net hospitals are the primary providers of care for many uninsured, under-insured, low-income, and Medicare- and Medicaid-dependent Americans, and these hospitals rely heavily on Medicaid DSH support in providing that care.  Medicaid DSH payments are essential for their survival.

In addition to asking House members to support the bill, ASH urged them to co-sponsor H.R. 2665.

Learn more from ASH’s message to House members.