The Republicans of the Senate, including Senator Susan Collins (Maine), say that a modern proposal to create a 15 -billion dollar aid fund for rural hospitals is not sufficient to compensate President Trump’s agenda.
Collins informed the reporters on Wednesday that the 15 -billion -dollar fund, which was hit by the Senate Financing Committee, is probably not the final offer of the Republican leaders of the Senate, the concerns of several senators who fear the upper limit of the law on healthcare providers to fear the taxes of health care in a rural To bring numerous rural hospitals out of the landing.
“The financial committee did not make a final decision. It is exactly that I think we need it [a] $ 100 billion provider relief fund. I don’t think that solves the entire problem. The Senate in Medicaid is far deeper than the house, and I think that’s problematic too, ”she said.
“Obviously every money is helpful, but no, it is not appropriate. But I don’t know sure that the financial committee has landed there,” she said.
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) is also skeptical that $ 15 billion would be sufficient to compensate for the effects of the Senate Act on compact rural hospitals.
A Republican senator who was familiar with the proposal of the Finance Committee confirmed that the committee offered a 15 billion dollar aid fund for rural hospitals.
The senator said that around half of the rural hospitals funded across the country and the other half would be aimed at certain hospitals, which were selected by the centers for medical and medicaid services.
“That doesn’t mean you will not adapt it,” said the senator. “There will be a fund. At the moment it is $ 15 billion.”
“Finally, I checked whether it is a formula. There is a basic amount that all states would receive for their rural hospitals, like half of it. And the other half from other factors in the States.
Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Who said that the Senate’s draft law would have devastating effects on rural hospitals in his state, said that the establishment of an aid fund for health service providers was a step in the right direction.
However, he stated that he would prefer to bring 100 billion US dollars to such a fund, as Collins suggested instead of the much lower amount proposed by the financial committee.
“That would be a good number,” he said about the 100 billion dollar proposal. “I want to understand – unfortunately we didn’t talk about it [it] Today for lunch – how the fund would work. I think the fund is essential. Getting a fund is good. This is a step forward. How does the fund actually sell the money? “
The majority leader of the Senate, John Thune (Rs.d.), a member of the financial committee, put icy water on Wednesday on the idea of a 100 -billion dollar aid fund.
“It won’t be that big,” he said.
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IOWA) said that $ 15 billion in targeted funds for rural hospitals are improving the invoice.
“Everything for the health of rural areas will help, but I can definitely not measure how much it will help,” he said. “It is a step in the right direction and helps what we want to do to reform medicaid.”
Al Weaver contributed.
