>> MEDICARE REIMBURSEMENT RATES 2008 UPDATE 02:
The cut in Medicare
payments
>> to physicians that are scheduled to take place on 1 JUL. Unless
>> legislation is passed before then, there will be a cut of 10% in
Medicare
>> physician payments. This is very important for military retirees
because
>> Tricare payments to physicians are the same as the Medicare payments.
>> There is great concern that if the payments cuts are not reversed
doctors
>> will not take any new Medicare patients, and likely no new Tricare
>> patients. On 12 June, by a vote of 54 yea (58%, 60% required for
>> passage),
>> 39 nay 7 not voting, the Senate failed to pass S.3101, the Medicare
>> Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, which would have
>> cancelled the 10% cuts in physician reimbursements and provided a 1%
>> increase to those reimbursements. Inexplicably, Sen. Harry Reid
switched
>> his vote from Yea to Nay. Also, very interesting is that the three
>> contenders for the Presidency: Sen. John McCain, Sen. Hillary Clinton,
>> and
>> Sen. Barack Obama did not vote on this important issue.
>>
>> As always seems to be the case, the battle is
over where to find the
>> money to pay for the reversal of the cuts, since the Medicare (and
>> military health care) budget for FY2008 was predicated on the cuts
going
>> into effect. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) has
come
>> up with a bill that would stop the cuts by replacing them with a 0.5%
>> increase in physician payments this year and an additional 1.1%
increase
>> in FY 2009. His bill would also improve Medicare benefits by expanding
>> subsidies for low-income people, reducing co-payments for mental health
>> treatment and increasing coverage for preventive health services.
>> However,
>> his bill is opposed by most Republicans because it would be paid for by
>> cutting costs in privately run Medicare Advantage programs that have
been
>> championed by GOP lawmakers and President Bush. Senator Charles
Grassley
>> (R-IA), ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, has drafted his
>> own bill to fix the problem. The Grassley bill would give doctors the
>> same
>> increases as the Baucus bill, but would pay for them differently.
>> Grassley's bill would eliminate bonus payments that some Medicare
>> Advantage plans receive for operating in areas with teaching hospitals,
a
>> provision also contained in the Baucus bill. But Grassley would provide
>> additional money by making cuts in some Medicaid provisions. Medicaid
is
>> the federal government health program for the poor. Both sides agree
that
>> fixing the pending cuts is the biggest health care priority they face
>> this
>> year, but they are running out of time to fix it.
>>
>> To see how your Senator voted on this
legislation refer to
>> http://tinyurl.com/3z2yee.
After checking, you are encouraged to call
>> and
>> thank those who voted "Yea" and to ask why those who voted
"Nay" did so.
>> Calling your congressional representative in Washington D.C. is easier
>> than you think. Our government and the AMA have provided the
following
>> no
>> charge numbers for constituents to talk to their elected official's
>> offices located in the Capital Building:
>> . 1-866-272-6622 Capital Operator Direct
>> . 1-800-833-6354 AMA Grass Roots Hotline - follow prompts
>> . 1-800-828-0498 Capital Operator Direct
>> . 1-800-833-6354 AMA Grass Roots Hotline - follow prompts
>> . 1-866-340-9281 Capital Operator Direct
>> . 1-866-220-0044 Capital Operator Direct
>>
>> When the capitol operator answers:
>> 1. Tell her which Senate or House office you want.
>> 2. When the office answers, tell the staffer that you are a constituent
>> and either thank the Senator for his Yea vote or ask why the Senator
>> voted
>> Nay. If Senator Reid's office, ask why he switched his vote from Yea to
>> Nay.
>> 3. Provide additional information requested by the staffer. Usually
your
>> zip code to confirm you are a constituent.
>> 4. Be polite and courteous, remember the staffer is simply the
>> "messenger".
>> 5. For a listing of all other bills refer to http://thomas.loc.gov.
>> [Source: TROA Washington Update & USDR Action alert 13 Jun 08
++]