President releases budget proposal for FY 2017

President Obama today as part of his fiscal year 2017 budget request to Congress proposed nearly $420 billion in reductions to Medicare payments to providers. The proposed cuts are over 10 years. The budget request seeks an additional $27.6 billion over 10 years for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. “The significant cuts proposed in today’s budget would jeopardize hospitals’ ability to keep the promise of maintaining access to vital health care services,” Ashley Thompson, AHA senior vice president of public policy analysis and development, said in a statement. These reductions are ill-advised at a time when Medicare and Medicaid do not cover the costs of caring for patients.” AHA members received a Special Bulletin with further details.