Federal Budget

Many aspects of the federal budget affect how Massachusetts hospitals, health systems and other care providers are reimbursed for care provided to patients insured by Medicare or Medicaid, or who qualify for other public health assistance from the federal government. MHA works with our congressional delegation and others to secure the best possible federal funding options for Massachusetts hospitals and other care providers. 
02.17.2020  | President’s Budget Attacks Medicare & Medicaid
President Trump released his proposed FY21 budget last year and it is remarkable for the ferocity with which it attacks Medicare and Medicaid.
02.10.2020  | State of the Union Speech Includes Healthcare Priorities
President Donald Trump delivered his State of the Union address last Tuesday, in which he pledged to guarantee coverage for patients with pre-existing conditions, protect Medicare, and sign legislation to dramatically “lower prescription prices.”
12.23.2019  | Congress Once Again Kicks DSH Cuts Down the Field
The $1.4 trillion spending deal that the House and Senate approved and that the president was expected to sign last Friday delays scheduled cuts to disproportionate share hospitals through May 22, 2020.
04.15.2019  | Government & Hospitals to Pharma: Be Transparent
State and federal governments are looking into rising prescription drug prices.
03.18.2019  | Trump Budget Puts Medicare/Medicaid in Crosshairs
The Trump Administration released its budget blueprint for federal fiscal year 2020 last week and, by any measure, it does not contain good news for Medicaid, Medicare, hospitals, or coverage expansion.
01.07.2019  | A New Congress with Massachusetts Muscle
The new 116th Congress was sworn in last Thursday and its leadership contains some Massachusetts members.
01.07.2019  | House First Order of Business: Defend ACA
The new Democratic House was expected to pass a rules package that includes a provision allowing it to intervene in a federal lawsuit that is challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act.
02.19.2018  | The Trump HHS Budget for Fiscal 2019
Last Monday, the Trump Administration released its FY2019 budget proposal.
02.12.2018  | Health Priorities in Federal Budget Bill
The federal budget package which passed last week after an hours-long government shutdown includes many important healthcare provisions.
02.05.2018  | Will the New Spending Bill Once Again Target Medicare?
Hospitals are concerned that negotiations over how to raise budget caps may result in further Medicare cuts.
01.29.2018  | CHIP and the Short-Lived Shutdown
The three-day government shutdown came to an end last Monday when Congress passed a continuing resolution package.
01.18.2018  | What’s On Tap on Capitol Hill
In Washington, the Senate returned last week and the House follows this week.
12.11.2017  | Current, and Future, Tax Bill Concerns
The House and Senate tax bills now moving to conference committee each contain provisions that are of concern to hospitals.
11.20.2017  | Yet Another Attempt to Dismantle the ACA
The U.S. House passed a $1.5 trillion tax cut bill last Thursday while the U.S. Senate continued work on its own tax cut proposal.
11.13.2017  | Congressional Tax Plan Affects Healthcare
Congressional focus on a tax cut package has moved forward quickly following the initial release last week by the House Ways and Means Committee.
11.13.2017  | Congressional Tax Plan Affects Healthcare
Congressional focus on a tax cut package has moved forward quickly following the initial release last week by the House Ways and Means Committee.
10.03.2017  | SB499-HB536, HB502 Contraceptive Coverage, Interpreter Services
MHA supports SB499/HB536 which seeks to guarantee women access to preventive health care, including contraception coverage, without co-pays. MHA strongly supports HB502, which requires MassHealth, its contractors, and all private insurers to adequa
08.21.2017  | CBO Report: Short-Term, Long-Term Effects of Subsidy Cuts
If the Trump Administration ends the Affordable Care Act’s cost-sharing reductions that help insurance companies provide lower income people with more affordable plans, premiums for that population would increase 20% in 2018, and the number of uninsu
07.03.2017  | Mass. Stands to Lose Billions and Increase Uninsured Under BCRA
The U.S. Senate Republican leadership was reported to be putting its rewrite of its healthcare reform bill back on the fast track.
06.05.2017  | A Unified Hospital-Political Front Against NIH Cuts
The benefits of funding from the National Institutes of Health run from seeding the research that helps cure disease to strengthening the national life sciences sector.

Resources

Click on the links below for easy access to information on important federal healthcare matters and MHA’s advocacy, outreach and other work on these issues.

Both of these include links to members list, committees, and legislation and records.