Support Grows for Helping Struggling Hospitals

73 Democrats and Republicans have now added their names to HR 7292, the Medicare loan forgiveness bill that sponsors are working to get included in the next economic relief package. Click here for the latest list of cosponsors. Meantime, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) says it could be a few weeks before a deal is reached on the next relief package. A draft summary of the Senate GOP proposal circulated late last week says another $25 billion would be added to the Provider Relief Fund and that Medicare provider loan repayments would be postponed until January 2021. The details of the Senate GOP plan (click here) are likely to change this week as leading GOP senators work to iron out their differences with the White House. The House proposal - the HEROES Act - includes $100 billion more for the Provider Relief Fund.  

• A new report from Kaufman Hall says hospital margins are plummeting during the pandemic. Click here.
• A new statement from Fitch Rating says the PRF grants will help hospitals. Click here.
• However, current grant amounts fall far short of the need, according to an analysis. Click here.