FAH President and CEO Chip Kahn released the following statement in reaction to the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee mark-up of several health care related bills:

“A key fact not considered during today’s markup – Medicare only pays hospitals 84 cents on the dollar for the patient care provided to beneficiaries. The cuts to hospital outpatient care included in today’s mark-up – and those proposed to be taken up later – are cuts that will slam patient care. These hits, on top of the escalating costs of care, could be a knockout blow for many hospitals – especially in rural areas.

“While we appreciate the Subcommittee’s bipartisan commitment to avoiding cuts to critical Medicaid DSH payments, and understand the need for improved transparency, this is clearly no time to cut the care.