Medicare Improvements For Patients and Providers Act of 2008

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I thank him for his leadership. I also want to thank Energy and Commerce Chair JOHN DINGELL and the Health Subcommittee Chairman Frank Pallone, as well as Chairmen RANGEL and STARK of the Ways and Means Committee for their continued leadership.

Last year, we passed the CHAMP bill to prevent a 10.6 percent cut in payments to Medicare providers and to make critical improvements, and today we are trying again. This bill would prevent physician payment cuts in 2008 and provide an increase in 2009. And, something of particular concern to me, it would address the cuts to mental health providers that have already taken place.

While we need to do more, we have to act now. And there are many, many reasons to support the passage of this bill. It provides mental health parity. It expands access to low-income assistance for seniors and people with disability struggling to pay their health care costs. It extends the moratorium on physical therapy caps. It eliminates cuts to oxygen treatment and wheelchairs. It postpones competitive bidding for durable medical equipment. On the diabetes front, it includes a 2-year reauthorization of the special diabetes program, prompt pay requirements for pharmacies, and on and on.

If you think it is more important to continue excess payments to private Medicare Advantage plans, plans that are getting 13 percent more than Medicare, you should vote no. In 2008, this meant that Medicare Advantage plans saw a 6 percent increase, while physicians are scheduled for a 10.6 percent cut. Next year, Medicare Advantage plans will see between a 5 and 7 percent increase, while physicians are scheduled for a 5 percent cut. But if you think it is more important to prevent Medicare cuts to physicians and providers and to help senior citizens and persons with disabilities, then you will vote yes.

I hope that all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will make the right choice. I hope you will side with Medicare physicians and their patients and pass H.R. 6331.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source