U.S. Senate passes CARES Act

Posted on: 3/27/20

The Senate, late Wednesday night, passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (H.R. 748). The bill is the third large-scale congressional effort in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The House is expected to pass the legislation on Friday.

The legislation provides financial relief and resources to individuals, families and businesses particularly hard hit by the COVID-19 public health emergency. It also includes a number of important health care provisions, including an emergency fund for hospitals and health systems, a Medicaid disproportionate share hospital cut delay, temporary elimination of the Medicare sequester, and a Medicare diagnosis-related group add-on payment that together are estimated to make available $117 billion in new funding for urban and rural hospitals and health systems.