The Law Offices of Stephenson, Acquisto & Colman participated in the 2023 American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management (AAHAM) Legislative Day in Washington, D.C. on May 4. SAC Managing Partner Rich Lovich, partner Chuck Acquisto, partner Marcus Morrow, attorney Ken Dusold and attorney Mallory McTarraghan attended the three-day event that took place at the Hyatt on Capitol Hill.

On Wednesday, May 3, the AAHAM delegation was welcomed by AAHAM President Lori Sickelbaugh and MW Capital’s Paul Miller to the annual event. AAHAM Government Relations Chair presented an overview of the four (4) legislative bills to be discussed with the elected Congressional leaders. These four bills are:

• H.R. 635 Expanding Access to Mental Health Services
• H.R. 197 Rural Telehealth Expansion Act
• H.R. 3173 Prior Authorization/Standardize Medicare Advantage Rules
• H.F. 1773 The Consumer Protection for Medical Debt Collections Act

Prior to meeting with Senators and U.S. Representatives on Thursday, May 4, the AAHAM delegation heard from Senator Roger Marshall’s Health Policy Director Charlotte Pineda on S 3018: Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act. Pineda was following by Representative Andy Barr’s Legislative Assistant Megan Guiltinan on H.R. 1382: The Tabs Act. Finally, Representative Joe Courtney’s Legislative Director Maria Costigan spoke on Observation Stays.

The Hill representatives were followed by American Hospital Association (AHA) Director of Health Insurance & Coverage Policy Senior Associate Michelle Millerick on the topic of Fedral Managed Care Updates and Health Plans Accountability. Starting data from Millerick included:

1. 7 in 10 Hospitals report an outstanding claim from 2016
2. 55 Percent of hospitals and health systems reported their oldest Medicare Advantage claim is from 2016 or older
3. 50 Percen t of hospitals and health systems report having more than $100 million in accounts receivable that are older than six (6) months
4. The total outstanding of unpaid claims for 772 hospitals older than six (6) months exceeds $6.4 billion
5. 35 Percent of hospitals and health systems $50 million or more in foregone payments as a result of denied claims once appeals have been exhausted.

Finally, there was a session with Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra, with concerns by AAHAM leaders expressed to Director Chopra about H.R. 1773 being damaging to the hospital industry.

After lunch, the SAC team walked up Capitol Hill to meet with their respective Senators’ and Representatives Legislative Assistants in the Hart, Russell. Dirksen, Cannon, Rayburn, Longsworth and Cannon buildings.