HEART Act

Request cosponsorship of the Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act (S.3792), legislation that would extend the Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver program for two years from the date the public health emergency ends. Express support for the Gold Card Act (HR 7995), legislation that would remove prior authorization requirements for certain physicians who have a 90% prior authorization approval rate over a six-month period on certain services. Request congressional engagement to: (1) Extend the full 2 percent Medicare sequester moratorium through the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency or Dec. 31, 2022, whichever is later; (2) Extend the current low-volume hospital adjustment criteria and Medicare dependent hospital program designation to enable rural hospitals in Texas to continue receiving appropriate Medicare payment adjustments; and (3) Waive the statutory PAYGO reductions to avoid reductions in payments by an additional 4 percent in 2023. CMS on CMS-1771-P, Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Proposed Policy Changes and Fiscal Year 2023 Payment Rates, express support for Congressional sign on letter to CMS expressing concern with hospital reimbursement rates. CMS-3419-P, RIN 0938-AU92, Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Conditions of Participation (CoPs)for Rural Emergency Hospitals (REH) and Critical Access Hospital CoP Updates Proposed Rule, provide comments on new REH designation. Medicare Program; Request for Information on Medicare, provide comments to CMS on Medicare Advantage preauthorization, network adequacy, federal oversight, and payment rates. Support for Congressional sign-on letter led by Congressman Lloyd Doggett expressing similar concerns. Inflation Reduction Act (HR 5376), express support for efforts to address the Medicaid coverage gap in non-expansion states. Improving Seniors Timely Access to Care (HR 3173), endorsement of legislation that addresses preauthorization process in Medicare Advantage. Endorsement of the Healthcare Enhancement for Americas Rural Towns (HEART) Act (HR 9034), would make permanent the Medicare Dependent Hospital program and extend for five years the Low Volume Adjustment.