Sequestration Relief to Continue
Although the House of Representatives will still need to pass the Senate bill to make it official, federal lawmakers have come to an agreement that will extend the suspension of Medicare sequestration until the end of the calendar year. Although the House vote will occur after the April 1st date on which the sequestration payment cut was scheduled to resume, it is expected that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will implement the extension in a seamless way. The extension means that the cut will be suspended until Jan. 1, 2022. We thank members who helped advocate on the issue.
Sequestration is the federal budget savings provision that has reduced payments to Medicare providers by 2 percent since 2013. It is important to note that the bill that advanced does not address other pending Medicare reductions. Due to increased spending in COVID-19 relief legislation, federal “pay as you go” requirements will trigger more severe Medicare reductions later this year unless addressed. Advocacy efforts on Medicare funding will remain critical, and we will let members know of opportunities such as the LeadingAge National Virtual Lobby Day on April 21st.
Contact: Darius Kirstein, dkirstein@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8841