As Medicare sequester cut extension deadline looms, AHA urges Senate to act

Dive Brief:

• A House bill passed Friday that would extend the pause on Medicare sequester cuts through December still awaits Senate action, with a looming March 31 deadline before the cuts go back into effect.
• The American Hospital Association expects the Senate to vote this week, CEO Rick Pollack said during a Tuesday call with reporters, though the March 31 deadline could conflict with upcoming Easter recesses and House approval.
• The Senate bill would extend the Medicare sequester pause throughout the public health emergency, and excludes a provision from the House version to eschew budget rules that would have imposed additional cuts on Medicare payments to providers.

Dive Insight:

If the Senate takes action before leaving town, "it sends a very strong signal to CMS to essentially hold those claims for about a week or so until the House can come back and hopefully approve the Senate action," Pollack said Tuesday.

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