At AHA virtual policy briefing, hospital leaders share challenges and urge Congress to provide additional support 

At an AHA virtual policy briefing this afternoon, hospital and health system leaders told congressional staff about the continued challenges their organizations are facing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and why additional support from Congress is necessary.

LaRay Brown, president and CEO of One Brooklyn Health System, Interfaith Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.; Craig Cordola, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Ascension – a multi-state health system serving 151 communities; and Lori Morgan, M.D., CEO of Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, Calif., discussed challenges, including workforce shortages and staff burnout; the loss of revenue due to the complexity of care and suspension of regular services; and increased costs for labor, equipment and supplies.

“The hospital and health care system crisis is real,” said Morgan. “As a group, hospitals large and small stood up for their communities when no one else was able to do so. But help is needed.” She urged Congress to provide additional support to “stabilize hospitals and guarantee that we will be able to step forward and provide the care needed in our communities.”

Among other actions, the leaders urged Congress to quickly disperse remaining funding from the Provider Relief Fund and add $25 billion; extend Medicare sequester relief; give hospitals more time to repay accelerated and advance Medicare payments; and provide relief to certain 340B hospitals so they can remain eligible for the program.

Watch a Full Replay of the Hill Briefing