McCollum touts Medicare equity agreement
Friday, July 24, 2009 at 4:24 pm
- 3 Comments
Rep. Betty McCollum
Congressional leaders have reached an agreement to fix the Medicare reimbursement system that financially penalizes states such as Minnesota that have more efficient health-care systems, according to U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum.
“This was a very historic day for patients in Minnesota and all across the nation,” McCollum said this afternoon on a conference call with reporters.
“Fifteen years ago as a state legislator I became aware of geographic disparities which affected the amount of dollars that our Medicare beneficiaries had available to them for the treatment of their diseases and for their health care. This is something that’s been in the back of my mind, something that I’ve been fighting for and wanting to change since I came to Congress.”
The Medicare agreement calls for a study by the Institute of Medicine into geographic issues in reimbursement, to be completed within one year of the legislation’s enactment. The secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services will then implement a new system based on the report’s conclusions.
The Medicare pact also includes $4 billion in funding for both 2012 and 2013 to soften the blow as states adjust to the new reimbursement system. In addition, the agreement calls for another study looking at ways to reward efficient health-care delivery through Medicare, to be completed by 2011.
Earlier this week, the entire Minnesota delegation sent a letter to President Obama urging a fix to the Medicare reimbursement system, but McCollum has been the most vocal legislator in insisting that it be part of any health-care-reform package.
She was part of a negotiating team on the issue that also included Rep. Charles Rangel, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Rep. Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
“This has been a really tough negotiation, let me tell you, because people were afraid of giving something up,” McCollum said.
The fourth fifth-term Democrat could not provide an estimate for how much Minnesota would benefit financially from the Medicare reimbursement overhaul.
“By going to evidence-value care our physicians, our hospitals are going to do well because we’re already delivering that kind of patient quality,” she said.
3 Comments
Comment posted July 25, 2009 @ 12:29 pm
The House leaders reached a deal on Medicare payments: A “Pay for Value” reimbursement system that rewards doctors and hospitals that achieve the best outcomes at the lowest cost.
As a result, The House gained a lot of votes, a lot of people who were withholding support.
The federal Medicare program insures some 44 million elderly and disabled Americans at an annual cost of $450 billion, almost one-fifth of total U.S. health care spending.
Supporters of the agreement say it could save the Medicare System more than $100 billion a year and improve care, that means $1trillian over a decade. (Please visit http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=820455&catid=391 for detailed infos)
The Times in a July 7 editorial argued “As much as 30 percent of all health-care spending in the U.S. -some $700 billion a year- may be wasted on tests and treatments that do not improve the health of the recipients,” Thus the remaining $239 billion over a decade does not matter.
No one can disagree with this best outcome / evidence-based system, and private insurance, too, will be greatly influenced by this change with the focus on value over volume. !
THANK YOU !
Pingback posted July 27, 2009 @ 7:42 am
[...] Medicare reform that would help higher-efficiency, lower-reimbursement states, including Minnesota. According to Minnesota Independent: The Medicare pact also includes $4 billion in funding for both 2012 and 2013 to soften the blow as [...]
Comment posted July 27, 2009 @ 10:14 am
This is only the start of so many good things to come. Thank you Rep. McCollum. Now, let’s keep the momentum going.
Free medical care is going to happen this year. We need to target $20 per hour for the minimum wage, and paid family medical leave rather than that crummy program we have now.
We have those Republi-crooks on the ropes people! Let’s go for a total knock-out. We can accomplish bringing those evil rich CEO’s to their knees with the new taxes we can force them to pay. And that money can do so much good for all of us with guaranteeing housing, food, and jobs for everyone.
America can finally be what all of us want it to become. A loving, caring, neighbor for our brothers and sisters all across the world. When this happens we can all prosper because a rising tide raises all ships.
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