Jay Rockefeller: “this letter is signed by the American Hospital Association, the Catholic Health Association, the Federation of American…”

“this letter is signed by the American Hospital Association, the Catholic Health Association, the Federation of American Health Systems, and seven or eight others, in which they say the budget drastically changes how the reductions would be allocated within the programs. They refer to: "Not only are these unprecedented reductions, but they would have a disproportionate adverse impact on hospitals," and so on. It is a much more drastic cut for hospitals. That is something that we all need to worry about. The Prospective Payment Review Commission, ProPAC, a highly respected, nonpartisan commission that advises Congress on hospital payment issues, has warned us in their March report that severe reductions in hospital payments could have a severe impact on hospitals. They go on to say, "The required restraint on cost growth may not be feasible, or desirable. Low updates over an extended period could affect a hospital's financial health and compromise access and compromise quality of care. They could also impede the diffusion of quality-enhancing technological advances." Mr. President, this is not a partisan conclusion reached by this Senator or the Clinton administration about the hospital cuts proposed in the Republican budget. This is a conclusion that has been reached by a group of health care experts who have been advising Congress on the financial health of hospitals since 1983.”