The AAMC sent a letter to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Sept. 15 urging them to remove two provisions from the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act before moving the bill to the House floor for consideration. The AAMC letter stated that Sections 203 and 204 of the legislation would disproportionately impact teaching hospitals and health systems by imposing so-called site-neutral payments on drug administration services in hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) and administratively burden them by imposing a national patient identifier (NPI) on HOPDs.
The letter noted that the AAMC supports other provisions of the bill, including mitigation of impending Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) cuts and investments in key workforce programs. The association, however, highlighted that “financing the elimination of two years of Medicaid DSH reductions and temporary increases to workforce programs through permanent cuts to HOPDs is counterproductive and dangerously places underserved populations' access to care at risk.”
The Lower Costs, More Transparency Act is the culmination of several months of work in the Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, and Education and Workforce Committees [refer to Washington Highlights, May 26, July 28]. It is expected that the legislation will be considered on the House floor in the coming days.