12/16/2020

Sequester Moratorium Remains in Play for End-of-Year Package

Breaking News from AAHomecare

Late yesterday, AAHomecare reported that their Medicare sequester coalition partners have heard that provisions to extend the sequester moratorium are "still in play" in ongoing discussions on end-of-year omnibus legislation -- and have asked for additional outreach to Senators of both parties to support the effort.

Please urge your Senators to weigh in with Senate Leadership and ask for an extension of the Medicare sequester moratorium until the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.  

Your message can be as simple as this:

Dear Senator _______

Please reach out to Senate Leadership as soon as possible to seek a continuation of the pause on the 2% Medicare sequester cuts for healthcare providers in any year-end legislative packages.
 
Provisions from the Medicare Sequester COVID Moratorium Act (H.R. 8840) would continue a pause of 2% Medicare sequester cuts through the duration of the Public Health Emergency (PHE).  In April, Congress halted the 2% sequester cuts, but only through Dec. 31, 2020.
 
That broad-based relief has helped every part of the healthcare continuum that is serving patients during the pandemic.  It has been especially welcome by HME suppliers who are providing essential respiratory care to individuals directly impacted by COVID-19 and are also helping reduce the stress on hospitals and clinicians by providing home-based care to seniors and other patient cohorts who are especially at risk if they contract this disease.
 
Please ask Senate Leadership to include extending the moratorium on Medicare sequester cuts as a part of year-end legislation.

You can also include any specific information about how continuing to pause the Medicare sequester cuts will help your company serve your communities during the pandemic.

Additional details from the OAMES office:

Reach out to your Senators’ offices with the brief ask.  Use the sample message above, ideally customizing briefly for your company, and email directly to Senator’s staff. Emails are by far the best way to reach staff on the Hill due to remote working arrangements because of the pandemic so we don’t suggest making phone calls.

Staff contacts for Ohio’s Senate offices: 

• Sen. Sherrod Brown – Abby Duggan, Senior Policy Advisor, abigail_duggan@brown.senate.gov
• Sen. Rob Portman – Seth Gold, Legislative Assistant, seth_gold@portman.senate.gov
• Emails are by far the best way to reach staff on the Hill due to remote working arrangements because of the pandemic so we don’t suggest making phone calls.

If you have any questions or need assistance, contact OAMES executive director Kam Yuricich at kam@oames.org.