Maria's Monday Memo

Maria's Monday Memo

Senator Maria Cantwell's Weekly Update for Washington State

Sparing doctors from risky Medicare cuts

Earlier this month I met in Spokane with physicians, local seniors advocates, and a representative from the Chamber of Commerce to discuss a major problem facing Washington state healthcare providers: dropping Medicare reimbursement rates. If this problem isn't solved, Washington state doctors could lose $1.9 billion between 2006 and 2014, forcing many of them to stop accepting Medicare patients.

Our seniors are already having a hard time finding physicians who accept Medicare because the government pays doctors far too little for senior healthcare. The problem is especially worrisome now, as a 4.3 percent cut to Medicare reimbursement rates is due to kick in on January 1 of next year. And this is just the beginning: government officials estimate that by 2011, the rates will be cut by 26 percent.

We must make sure that our doctors can stay in the business of healthcare, not economics. It is critical that physicians can practice medicine and that our seniors can afford to see the doctors they know and trust.

That is why I introduced legislation to block these cuts and make sure doctors get a modest increase next year. Congress and the President must find a long-term solution to the reimbursement rate problems, but we should not place the short-term burden on our doctors and seniors. I'll keep you updated as my legislation is considered by the Senate.
Preventing oil spills

We must continue to ensure we are doing everything we can to avoid a devastating oil spill in Washington state waterways. Besides the economic and ecological damage oil can inflict on our precious waterways, spill response and cleanup can cost about $1,000 for every gallon of spilled oil.

As the top Democrat on the Senate's Fisheries and Coast Guard Subcommittee, I called a field hearing at the Port of Seattle Commission Chambers to evaluate the risks of future oil spills in Washington state waters, and explore what else can be done to reduce the risks, and improve cleanup response times and effectiveness.

During the hearing, I heard testimony and asked questions of officials from the U.S. Coast Guard, state Department of Ecology, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, and other experts to discuss the environmental damage of oil spills, and the toll this damage takes on the coastal economies.

This was a very productive hearing that brought to light some creative ideas for improving the federal government's role in oil spill response. I plan to use this information and develop legislation that will ensure we remain vigilant in reducing the risks of oil spills, while developing local cleanup strategies that minimize the harm done to our environment and local economy.
Local solutions for high gas prices

Like most Washingtonians, I don't need the newspapers to tell me gas prices are hitting record levels. While the experts tell us the prices will probably decline as the summer comes to an end, that does little to ease the strain on family budgets caused by the current spike, or assuage fears that another big increase is on the horizon.

The energy bill signed into law last week by the President will, admittedly, do little to reduce current fuel costs, but it does lay the groundwork for future solutions to our overdependence on fossil fuels. One section of the bill, which I sponsored as a member of the Senate Energy Committee, includes several key tax credit and grant programs to spur Washington state's farmers to grow our own biofuels to replace imported petroleum. Biofuels are a safe, affordable, and clean alternative to fossil fuels that can spur our rural economies and create jobs.

During the August congressional recess, I have traveled across the state to meet with local farmers and community officials to urge them to begin growing local crops to produce home-grown fuel. By providing an initial government investment to get regional biofuel production businesses off the ground, I believe we can convince our farmers it is worthwhile to grow the crops that make the fuel.

Easing the country off foreign oil will not be easy - and it won't be fast - but the energy bill is an important step in the right direction. It won't reduce the current pain at the pump, but it's likely to ease that ache in the future.
Visiting Washington , D.C. ?

Are you planning to visit Washington , D.C. ? If so, I would welcome the opportunity to meet you. On Thursday, September 8, at 8:30 a.m., I will host one of my regular coffees for constituents in my Washington , D.C. , office. If you will be in the nation's capital and would like to attend, please call my office at (202) 224-3441, or fill out a reservation form online by visiting my web site at http://cantwell.senate.gov/services/coffee.html .

http://cantwell.senate.gov/updates/weekly_update.html