Medical Groups Eye More Aid Before First $100 Billion Doled Out

Health industry leaders expect Congress will need to send billions of dollars more to hospitals and doctors this year, even before any of the $100 billion in emergency funds cleared last week have been doled out.

Hospital and doctors’ groups say they’re pushing on two fronts: getting the emergency funds to providers right now and persuading lawmakers to provide more money.

Health organizations are asking the Department of Health and Human Services to start dispensing the funds, part of the $2 trillion economic rescue package (Public Law 116-136) signed into law Friday, as soon as possible to help ...