The Big Picture In late December, following several weeks of dynamic negotiations, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the Act). 1 The massive legislative package includes appropriations through September 30, 2021, $900 billion in supplemental appropriations to address COVID-19, a ban on surprise billing, extensions of expiring health programs and an amalgam of odds-and-ends health policy provisions. The Act contains several key Medicaid provisions, including a delay in Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) allotment reductions, new Medicaid supplemental paymen...