Bipartisan Legislation Would
Nullify Medicaid DSH Cuts
January 17, 2003 - Newly introduced bipartisan legislation
would nullify Oct. 1, 2002, reductions to Medicaid disproportionate
share hospital (DSH) allotments. Sponsored by Reps. Edward
Whitfield (R-Ky.) and Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), the "Access
to Hospitals Act of 2003" (H.R.
328) would extend the Medicaid DSH provisions within the
Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection
Act (BIPA 2000) that expired last October, subsequently preventing
FY 2003 allotments from reverting to the Balanced Budget Act
1997 (BBA) FY 2002 levels, adjusted by inflation. H.R. 328
would be retroactive to October 1 of last year and would apply
to allotments in FY 2003 and beyond.
In addition, H.R. 328 would further increase the District
of Columbia's allotments for FY 2003 and beyond by setting
its FY 2000 allotment at $46 million (previously $32 million).
The bill does not address special considerations for "historically
low-DSH states."
Information:
Christiane Mitchell, Senior Legislative Affairs Manager
AAMC Government Relations
cmitchell@aamc.org
(202) 828-0526
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