News Releases

Jarm Meets with Lawmakers to Discuss Federal Healthcare Reform

On Thursday, May 11, The Center for Health Affairs' president and CEO Tim Jarm joined hospital CEOs from MetroHealth, University Hospitals, Cleveland Clinic and St. Vincent’s Charity Medical Center for a discussion on federal healthcare reform with Ohio congressional representatives David Joyce (R-Russell Twp.) and Patrick Tiberi (R-Genoa Twp.). The meeting, which took place at MetroHealth, was an opportunity to provide lawmakers with examples of how the current Affordable Health Care Act (AHCA) proposal in Congress stands to impair the healthcare delivery system in Northeast Ohio.

The AHCA, Congress’ proposed bill that would replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), has drawn mixed reviews on both sides of the aisle. In a time when hospitals continue to experience cuts from the Disproportional Share Hospital (DSH) program, the AHCA, in its current form, moves to eliminate billions in Medicaid funding that hospitals rely on to keep their doors open and serve the neediest patients in their community.

Congressman Tiberi, member of the House Ways and Means Committee and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, was integral in the development and passage of the AHCA in the House. Given his position in Congress, his insights were particularly useful for hospital CEOs as they determine how to best advocate for sustainable funding sources in the future. Congressman Joyce, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, and one of just two Ohio republican “no” votes on the AHCA, was able to provide his perspective on the legislation and offered advice on how hospital’s advocacy efforts would be most effective when approaching Congress for changes.

Earlier in the week, Tim Jarm and government relations director, Tony Gutowski, traveled to Washington D.C. to meet with congressional representatives and attend the American Hospital Association’s (AHA) Annual Meeting. The packed agenda included speakers from various healthcare agencies, news outlets as well as ranking governmental and congressional representatives such as Senator Chuck Schumer, Senator Bill Cassidy and Secretary of Veteran Affairs, David Shulkin, M.D. Among the many topic discussed during the conference was the ongoing debate over federal healthcare reform.

For more information on past and future meetings with lawmakers or on federal healthcare reform, please contact Tony Gutowski, director of government relations, by email or phone at 216.255.3610.