FAH President and CEO Chip Kahn released the following statement after Senate HELP Chairman Bernie Sanders released a sweeping health care bill:

“Buried inside Chairman Sanders’ bill are provisions that would have a devastating impact on patient care. While investing in our health care workforce is an important priority, it cannot be done at the expense of the health care safety net Americans depend on.

“This proposal includes unworkable and unprecedented policies that would irrevocably harm the ability of hospitals to provide access to care our patients deserve and expect. It resurrects government mandated rate setting and other similar misguided policies already debated and rejected by Congress when the No Surprises Act was under consideration. 

“The committee should hit pause before holding a mark-up next week. Moving too quickly on this ill-conceived legislation would create a cascade of unintended consequences that limits hospitals’ ability to ensure access to needed care for our patients.”