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With March kicking off tomorrow, we’re approaching March Madness when college basketball teams across the country compete in the annual tournament that often is full of twists, turns and surprises. 

On Capitol Hill, we’re facing our own March Madness. Congress must act by March 14 to fund the government, and there’s no agreement on how to do that yet. As part of the process, by the end of March, Congress must address several expiring health care provisions, including preventing Medicaid disproportionate share hospital payment cuts; extending enhanced low-volume adjustment and Medicare-dependent hospital programs; and extending telehealth and hospital-at-home waivers.

At the same time, House and Senate Republicans continue to move forward with their budget reconciliation frameworks that could have significant implications for hospitals and patients’ access to care. The House this week narrowly passed its budget resolution that calls for $2 trillion in spending cuts, many of which could impact Medicaid and other key health care programs. The Senate last week adopted its own budget resolution focusing on the border, military and energy.

While these actions are significant, both chambers must pass a common budget resolution to move forward with the reconciliation process, so in basketball terms, we’re still in the first half of the game with lots of time for action.

The focus now turns to House-Senate negotiations, the next step in this process, as both chambers must agree to common language and goals. They remain far apart on several key issues, and we anticipate strenuous back and forth over elements that include making President Trump’s tax cuts permanent and pulling back some of the House’s proposed deep spending cuts in programs like Medicaid.

Where lawmakers will land on a budget is far from settled and the stakes for patient access to care are high. In baseball terms, we’re at the start of the second inning, and AHA needs your voice turned up more than ever as we continue to engage with key stakeholders in the Administration, House and Senate to educate them on the serious impact any cuts to Medicaid and other programs will have on patients and communities.

AHA Resources and Advocacy Day

The AHA is continuing its full court press urging lawmakers to extend the health care provisions expected to expire next month and protect hospital care and programs that patients rely on, including Medicaid. We also are hosting a March 4 Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C., during which hospital and health system leaders will get a briefing on the latest updates and then meet with their lawmakers and staff on Capitol Hill. Please see our recent AHA Action Alert for key advocacy messages and resources that can assist you in conversations with your lawmakers.

Coalition Advertising and Digital Resources

Meanwhile, the , of which the AHA is a founding member, has launched a multimedia advertising campaign, highlighting Medicaid’s critical impact on more than 72 million Americans who rely on the program for access to care.

The ad campaign features a new ,” warning of potentially devastating cuts to Medicaid and urging Congress to protect Medicaid and ensure access to care for patients.

The power of stories is central to our message. Lawmakers need to hear specific examples about the dire impact on their communities of potential cuts to Medicaid, which could undermine the entire health care system. They need to hear how the cuts could affect Medicaid and non-Medicaid patients alike, including facility and service closures, increased costs to the private sector, states raising taxes to cover the shortfall, and increased access issues for everyone when emergency departments jam up because that is the only place people can turn to for care.

Part of this effort is also making certain elected officials are aware of the faces and names that are impacted, including children, veterans and hardworking Americans.

The commercial is running on TV nationally, in Washington, D.C., and in other targeted markets. The ad campaign also includes digital targeting of key elected officials, as well as publications inside the Beltway and influential new media outlets.

In addition to the advertising campaign, the Coalition has developed and shared that hospitals and health systems can use as part of their advocacy efforts to protect Medicaid. And the Coalition is engaging its more than 2.6 million advocates in grassroots activities with legislators across the country. 

Your Voice Is Critical

We’ve seen time and time again that lawmakers listen most to the people who live, work and vote in their districts. With such tight margins in the House and the Senate, it’s clear that every lawmaker’s vote is crucial. That means it’s more important than ever that our field speaks loudly and frequently about the need to protect access to 24/7 hospital care for our friends, families and neighbors.

Watch for more resources and updates from the AHA during the next few weeks as together we make the case for ensuring access to care for our patients and communities.