Saving Hospitals Saves Lives statement on the Department of Health and Human Services terminating its State of Texas Medicaid program audit. 

We will not allow health equity to be a mere aspiration.  The need is immediate. The time to act is now. SHSL’s August 2023 presentation shows the importance of Medicaid for our marginalized brothers and sisters and the threat posed by the 2023 CMS Informational Bulletin and proposed rule.

Florida’s Medicaid safety net is at risk. SHSLC, in partnership with the National Minority Quality Forum, filed an amicus brief to stop CMS policies that “directly threaten access to care for children, the elderly, new mothers, and infants – particularly - in urban and rural areas and areas with high minority populations.”

Objecting to CMS' use of the net effect test, the curtailing of access to federal court, and an overall undermining of the safety net of Black and minority communities, Reverend Al Sharpton and the National Action Network stand alongside us as allies in the fight against CMS in their letter to Secretary Beccera and Administrator Brooks-LaSure.

“CMS lacks statutory authority to hold the states responsible for the actions of private entities,” a comment from one of the fourteen states that have objected to CMS’ attempt to expand the hold harmless definition to include private agreements.

“CMS’ resurrection of MFAR policy changes threatens Medicaid funding sources and access to healthcare services.” SHSLC’s bulletin discusses the potential catastrophic financial ramifications to Medicaid funding, and the communities that would be disproportionately impacted.

“[I]t is abundantly clear that CMS has not sufficiently assessed the substantial consequences this proposed rule would have on both the providers serving and the beneficiaries relying on Medicaid program services[.]” The Florida GOP Delegation writes to Secretary Xavier Becerra to express their concern over the Informational Bulletin echoing themes from withdrawn MFAR policy.

Awaiting the approval of Florida's Hospital Directed Payment Program, the Florida Democrat Delegation urges CMS to reauthorize the directed payment program, as millions of Floridians depend on this program and Medicaid for health coverage.

“The threats to access that these changes present simply cannot be sustained by the Texans who need them the most “The Texas Democrat Delegation pen a letter to CMS and HHS expressing their deep concerns over the threats to healthcare access that the proposed Medicaid Managed Care Rule poses.

Quoting Judge Kernodle’s ruling that “CMS may not rewrite clear statutory terms to suit its own sense of how the statute should operate,” the Texas GOP Delegation writes to CMS and HHS expressing their concern over the proposed changes to Medicaid financing released this year through the Informational Bulletin and the proposed managed care rule.

“Killing Medicaid Supplemental funding payments is equivalent to killing people.” The Houston NAACP Branch announced a press conference on the steps of the federal courthouse calling for the reinstatement of Medicaid supplemental payments.

“The Bulletin’s policies decimate the safety net and destroy access to healthcare for the most vulnerable among us.” In a letter to CMS’ Deputy Administrator Daniel Tsai, Bishop James Dixon points out inconsistencies in the statements made by CMS and HHS regarding the Informational Bulletin, calls out the narrow focus of the Net Effect Test, and offers to develop a study on the impact on racial equity that the Bulletin seeks to formalize.