Durbin, Emanuel Prevent Cuts to Medicaid Payments to Hospitals
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, Congress approved an emergency supplemental spending bill that included a provision to place a one year moratorium on a Medicaid rule that would have cut up to $623 million in federal funding from Illinois' Medicaid program. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) released the following statements on their successful efforts to include this provision in the final supplemental war bill.
"With passage of this emergency spending bill, Cook County Stroger Hospital and other hospitals throughout the country are one step closer to protecting their critical Medicaid funds. This is money that helps hospitals provide basic services to the uninsured and those with limited insurance," said Durbin.
"This provision ensures that hospitals and providers can continue to provide the most vulnerable and uninsured people of Illinois with the critical health care services they need," said Emanuel.
On January 18, 2007, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed a rule (CMS-2258-P) that would limit payments to government health care providers and alter state financing mechanisms. This proposed rule would impact more than 57 million Americans and 2 million Illinoisans who rely on the Medicaid program, as well as health care providers who deliver essential services to them.
