The House Ways and Means Committee has introduced legislation that would extend eight programs that help hospitals access capital, reports AHA News Now.
H.R. 992 has the support of the American Hospital Association and other significant lobbying groups, including the National Association of Counties and the U.S. Conference of Mayors. They note that many of the programs expired at the end of 2010. Failure to renew them could create ongoing issues for hospitals to access the capital markets.
Among the programs proposed for renewal are Build America Bonds and the New Markets Tax Credit program, which provided up to 6 cents of tax credit for every dollar invested in construction.
"These provisions will help many of our members be better equipped to maintain and develop critical infrastructure and provide services which are necessary to keep our communities strong," the groups said in a letter to Sander Levin (D-Mich.) the ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee. "Not only do these provisions help states, local governments and authorities more easily and affordably access the capital markets, they create jobs."
For more information:
- read the AHA News Now article
- read the letter to Levin