policy

March 7, 2017

The Honorable Paul Ryan
Speaker
U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Minority Leader
U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC

The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Majority Leader
U.S. Senate Washington, DC

The Honorable Charles Schumer
Minority Leader
U.S. Senate Washington, DC

Dear Speaker Ryan, Majority Leader McConnell, Minority Leader Pelosi, and Minority Leader Schumer:

We, the undersigned provider, plan, and public health organizations, urge you to reject any effort to condition payment for health care services on factors other than medical and legal qualifications and standards. Congress should not deny federal funds, including reimbursement for covered services provided to Medicaid beneficiaries, to providers, programs, and health care facilities in cases where a provider is qualified to perform those services.

Attempts, legislative or otherwise, to deny or restrict coverage of care provided by qualified and approved providers could prove devastating to low-income patients’ access to essential primary and preventive health care. Coverage decisions should be based solely on medical evidence, best practices, and qualifications. Efforts to introduce conditions unrelated to health and medicine set a dangerous precedent of jeopardizing access to care for millions of Americans who rely on our nation’s already stretched health care safety net.

We urge you to ensure that coverage and payment decisions are based exclusively on medical issues and to work with us to improve our health care system for all Americans.

Sincerely,

American Academy of Nursing
American Academy of Pediatrics
American College of Preventive Medicine
American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
American Psychological Association
American Public Health Association
American Society for Reproductive Medicine
Association for Community Affiliated Plans
Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses
Maryland State Medical Society
Massachusetts Medical Society
National Association of County and City Health Officials
National Association of Rural Health Clinics
National Health Care for the Homeless Council
National Hispanic Medical Association
Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine

View Full Letter >>>