AMAC Supports Bill to Increase Hospital Capacity to Fight the Coronavirus, H.R. 6336

H.R.6336 – “Increasing Hospital Capacity to Fight the Coronavirus Act of 2020” is very responsive legislation to address the state and local “Certificate of Need” (“CON”) administrative requirements that, unfortunately in this time, have served to impede timely and critically needed capital expenditures for health care facilities needed to address the COVID-19 pandemic patient caseload.

April 30, 2020

The Honorable Dan Bishop

North Carolina 9th Congressional

District 132 Cannon House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

Dear Congressman Bishop,

On behalf of our more than 2.1 million members, the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC) is writing in support of H.R. 6336, the “Increasing Hospital Capacity to Fight the Coronavirus Act of 2020.”

This is very responsive legislation to address the state and local “Certificate of Need” (“CON”) administrative requirements that, unfortunately in this time, have served to impede timely and critically needed capital expenditures for health care facilities needed to address the COVID-19 pandemic patient caseload.

Certainly, during this time, it is key and indeed reasonable to provide for a waiver of any Medicare and Medicaid payment reductions that would otherwise be triggered in the absence of the issuance of any state or local CON for capital expenditures. Hopefully, the States will also in like manner follow this bill’s lead in waiving their CON requirements for health care capital expenditures for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We commend you and your co-sponsors for putting forth this legislation and urge that the Congress enact it.

Sincerely,
Bob Carlstrom President AMAC Action