AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION for AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION

Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX

In support of current hospital tax exemption and 501(c)(3) private activity bonds.

Contacted: SENATE; Justice, Dept of (DOJ); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Federal Trade Commission (FTC); White House Office; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA)

Health Issues HCR

Support H.R. 304, The Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017, a bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act with regard to the provision of emergency medical services and discussed companion legislation with the Senate; Support H.R. 372, The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2017, a bill to repeal McCarran-Ferguson with respect to the business of health insurance; Discussed with members of congress working on legislation that maintains coverage and improves Americas health care system through patient-centered care; Oppose HR 1156 , Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2017, a bill to repeal changes made by health care reform laws to the Medicare exception to the prohibition on certain physician referrals for hospitals; Support HR 1215, Protecting Access to Care Act, a bill to improve patient access to health care services and provide improved medical care by reducing the excessive burden the liability system places on the health care delivery system; Urged CMS to release guidance pertaining to hospital co-location arrangements and to provide flexibility in the agencys co-location policies; Support the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Act of 2017, a bill that would reauthorize the Conrad State 30 Program and make other changes to improve patient access to care.

Contacted: Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; White House Office; Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); SENATE; Federal Trade Commission (FTC); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS)

Bills named: H.R. 372 (115th), H.R. 1215 (115th), H.R. 304 (115th), H.R. 1156 (115th)

Medicare/Medicaid MMM

Support H.R. 741/ S. 243 Rural Hospital Regulatory Relief Act of 2017, a bill that amends title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act to permanently extend the application by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of an instruction against the enforcement of certain physician supervision requirements with respect to outpatient therapeutic services in critical access hospitals and small rural hospitals; Support H.R. 807/ S. 253 Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act of 2017, a bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to repeal the Medicare outpatient rehabilitation therapy caps; Urged CMS to delay implementation of the final rule CMS-3819-F, Medicare and Medicaid Conditions of Participation for Home Health Agencies; Requested clarification from CMS about providing care to justice-involved individuals and receiving Medicaid/Medicare reimbursement for such care; Discussion with CMS about blood glucose monitors; Discussions with CMS about the Medicare Conditions of Participation and requested CMS clarify public information regarding hospital citations under the Medicare Conditions of Participation; Discussion about the Electronic Clinical Quality Measure Reporting: advocating for an extension of the reporting deadline to increase hospitals ability to meet requirements in the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting program and the Medicare EHR Incentive Program.

Contacted: Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Federal Trade Commission (FTC); SENATE; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); White House Office; Justice, Dept of (DOJ)

Bills named: S. 243 (115th), H.R. 741 (115th), H.R. 807 (115th), S. 253 (115th)

Labor Issues/Antitrust/Workplace LBR

Discussed, S. 744, The Protecting Veterans Credit Act of 2017 with the bill authorTo amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act to delay the inclusion in consumer credit reports and to establish requirements for debt collectors with respect to medical debt information of veterans due to inappropriate or delayed billing payments or reimbursements from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Contacted: Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Federal Trade Commission (FTC); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); SENATE; White House Office; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS)

Bills named: S. 744 (115th)

Law Enforcement/Crime/Criminal Justice LAW

Support H.R. 659, The Standard Merger and Acquisition Reviews Through Equal Rules (SMARTER) Act of 2017, a bill to provide that the Federal Trade Commission shall exercise authority with respect to mergers only under the Clayton Act and only in the same procedural manner as the Attorney General exercises such authority and discussed the companion legislation with the Senate.

Contacted: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); White House Office; Office of Management & Budget (OMB); SENATE; Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

Bills named: H.R. 659 (115th)

Budget/Appropriations BUD

Monitoring the development and release of the FY 2018 budget to prevent or minimize hospital cuts.

Contacted: White House Office; Veterans Affairs, Dept of (VA); HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES; Centers For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Justice, Dept of (DOJ); Health & Human Services, Dept of (HHS); Office of Management & Budget (OMB); Federal Trade Commission (FTC); SENATE; Internal Revenue Service (IRS)