On April 14, President Joe Biden signed an extension of the Medicare sequester moratorium until Dec. 31, 2021. The moratorium on the 2% Medicare sequester expired on March 31, but the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that it would hold claims until Congress could act, thereby temporarily shielding providers from the sequester [refer to Washington Highlights, April 2].
Biden’s signing follows an April 12 House vote of 384-38 on the Senate amendment to H.R. 1868. The Senate amended and passed H.R. 1868 on March 25 [refer to Washington Highlights, March 26]. The AAMC and other hospital and provider groups have been urging Congress to continue the Medicare sequester moratorium until at least the end of the public health emergency [refer to Washington Highlights, March 12].