Politics

The president’s tax package shifts more burden to states running Medicaid programs, while making it tougher to finance them.

The tax package approved this month will lead to fewer people having Medicaid coverage. Experts say it will result in more deaths that could be prevented.

Health systems hoped for more for outpatient clinics and surgery centers, but other federal proposals are drawing the ire of hospitals.

Several groups have sued Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, says they want to protect Americans.

The legislation includes a provision ensuring Americans can get access to telehealth on a pre-deductible basis. Kyle Zebley of the American Telemedicine Association says the measure helps millions of patients.

Lawmakers added a $50 billion fund to aid rural hospitals, but healthcare leaders say the money won’t offset other losses due to Medicaid cuts.

Several state hospital groups are warning of reduced access to care for patients, and more financial pressures for health systems. Hospitals can’t just absorb cuts, they said.

Health systems say the passage of the legislation means millions will lose Medicaid coverage. They warn that hospitals could reduce services or shut down.

Pediatric hospitals treat a high volume of patients who are covered by Medicaid. Matt Cook, president of the Children’s Hospital Association, says Medicaid cuts will mean less resources to treat more patients.

Millions could lose Medicaid coverage and hospitals face the loss of billions. Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, president of the American Nurses Association, says everyone will be affected.

The Senate signed off on a tax package that hospitals adamantly opposed, saying it would leave millions without Medicaid coverage. Hospitals say it would do significant damage.

Hospitals found the Senate legislation even more damaging than the House plan. Health systems say it would lead to hospitals cutting services or shutting down.

Hospitals say Medicaid cuts would leave millions of Americans without coverage and add financial pressures to hospitals. They say some hospitals would end up shutting down.

The court preserved a provision in the Affordable Care Act that requires health plans to offer free screenings. Healthcare leaders welcome the ruling, but they warned of future challenges.

The justices ruled that states can withhold Medicaid funds from the group. Conservatives want to defund the group because it provides abortions, but critics say it will be harder for women to get cancer screenings and other care.

Health plans announced plans to simplify the prior authorization process and make it faster. Doctors and hospitals have said authorization delays hurt patients and drive up costs.

America’s Essential Hospitals, which represents safety net hospitals, estimated that the Senate GOP tax plan would create even more financial pressures than the House bill.

Critics say the measure could make it harder for transgender youth to get care. Tennessee’s attorney general says the ruling protects kids from ‘life-altering’ procedures and helps other states set similar laws.

Advocates for hospitals said the Senate measure would mean bigger Medicaid cuts and millions losing coverage. They warn some providers would weigh cutting services and even closing their doors.

Healthcare leaders have assailed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for ousting all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Critics say the move undermines trust and guidance on vaccines.

The American Hospital Association says 1.8 million residents in rural communities could lose coverage. Cuts would also hurt rural hospitals that are already losing money.

Lawmakers in the House and Senate have introduced legislation to give hospital employees protections similar to those in the airline industry. Previous bills haven’t made it through Congress, but advocates hope for a different outcome.

The Trump administration has cut funding on programs that help with preparedness and prevention, and there’s concern about lost capabilities.

Lawmakers are looking to streamline the process of prior authorization for treatments from MA plans. Previous efforts stalled, but lawmakers in both parties want to see changes.

The Trump administration is cutting programs that help hospitals and health systems respond to emergencies. Critics fear that scaling back federal emergency programs will hamper response efforts.