AHA and other health groups urge Congressional action on Medicare policies

The American Hospital Association along with 13 other healthcare organizations have called on federal lawmakers to address Medicare policies that will go into effect next Jan. 1.

The groups wrote a letter to Congressional leaders asking for "immediate action to address harmful Medicare policies."

"Failure to pass legislation to extend these various Medicare policies will prompt limited access to services for beneficiaries in rural and other under-served areas, payment cuts to healthcare professionals, as well as the creation of an unsustainable healthcare environment," the groups said.

According to the groups, the combination of the Medicare policies impact a wide spectrum of the healthcare services, including ambulance services, diagnostic laboratory tests, and rehabilitation services. The policies involve patients and healthcare providers including solo practitioners, post-acute care facilities and community hospitals that serve patients with various diagnoses and impairments.

In the past, Congress has temporarily addressed some of the policies the groups are concerned with, including temporary fixes in the recent healthcare reform law that extended provisions through 2010.

The organizations included the American Ambulance Association, American Clinical Laboratory Association, American Health Care Association, American Hospital Association, American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association, the American Occupational Therapy Association, American Physical Therapy Association, American Psychological Association, American Speech Language Pathology Association, Clinical Social Work Association, College of American Pathologists, National Association for the Support of Long Term Care, National Association of Social Workers and the National Rural Health Association.