The following statement was released today by Chip Kahn, President and CEO of the Federation of American Hospitals:

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - The FAH is deeply concerned about the House Budget Committee's proposed budget resolution, which assumes substantial reductions in payments to hospitals.  The proposal threatens hospitals' capacity to meet the growing health care needs of seniors and the most vulnerable in our communities.  It would deepen the effect of already significant Medicare and Medicaid payment shortfalls to hospitals, exacerbated by $95 billion of additional cuts since 2010 alone.

Hospitals are committed to meeting the health care and economic needs of our communities, but the Federal government must do its part by providing fair and appropriate payments.  The House budget proposal undermines these key requirements and jeopardizes hospitals' ability to maintain our commitment to our communities and our patients.

We look forward to working with the Congress to develop good public policy that balances the need to get our nation's fiscal house in order with the need to maintain our patients' access to essential health care services.

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The Federation of American Hospitals is the national representative of investor-owned or managed hospitals and health systems.  Our members include general community and teaching hospitals in urban and rural areas as well as rehabilitation, long-term, cancer and psychiatric hospitals. 

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