What did Nursing Homes Get?

Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. The law combined a $900 billion coronavirus relief bill and a $1.4 trillion spending bill. At 5,593 pages, the bill was the longest bill ever passed by Congress. Republicans passed one of the largest spending bills ever.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) pledged to grant immunity in exchange for pandemic relief. He vowed that any new relief package would not be passed without liability protections. However, he lied.

Republicans finally agreed to provide some relief to Americans. Mitch McConnell is worried about the Georgia Senate races. In the new relief bill or stimulus package or bailout, the nursing home industry is rewarded despite their fatal lack of preparation in 2020.

Providers will get relief from the 2% Medicare sequester cuts. The year-end deal extends the moratorium on the 2% sequestration reduction to Medicare payments by another three months. The deal also calls for an additional $3 billion to the Provider Relief Fund.

Additionally, the deal also provides $3 billion in payment increases for healthcare providers across the board. The move gives providers critical relief from the slated Medicare payment cuts that are set to go into effect Jan. 1, 2021. It also means therapy providers would see some relief from the scheduled 9% payment cut.

As of now, Trump refuses to sign the bill. He is mad at McConnell and the Republicans for acknowledging Biden won the election.