fah hospital policy blog

July 30, 2020 marks 55 years since Medicare and Medicaid were signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965.

It is an important step forward in confronting the continuing coronavirus challenge that Senate Republicans and the White House released their latest COVID-19 relief package today.

Local leaders across the country are sounding the alarm and urging lawmakers to revise the terms of the Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment Programs (MAAPP) before it starts to affect access to patient care.

New national public opinion polling shows Americans overwhelmingly support hospitals and recognize the need for further aid as front-line health care providers fight to defeat COVID-19. The poll conducted on behalf of the Coalition to Protect America’s Health Care (FAH is a founding member) found registered voters hold strongly favorable views of health care providers and hospitals, with 76% rating hospitals as favorable and 42% as very favorable. This is the highest level of support recorded in memory and is consistent across political affiliation.