Hospitals press Congress to end or pause Medicare sequester cuts as they brace for coronavirus impa…

If Congress really wants to help their facilities handle the coronavirus, then they should suspend the Medicare sequester cuts for at least the duration of the pandemic, hospital groups said this week.

Major hospital groups wrote to Congress on Sunday that the next legislative move should include a suspension. Congress is poised to pass its second coronavirus response package this week, but it does not address the 2% cut to Medicare that was installed with sequestration.

“Suspending the sequester and restoring those payments will provide a much-needed jolt of confidence not just for hospitals, but for physicians, post-acute providers, Medicare Advantage plans and so many others who rely on Medicare as a trusted partner,” the groups wrote to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.