Email update: A very big deal
Statement
Today I'm proud that Congress worked how it's supposed to. I just voted for a historic and bipartisan bill to fix a broken payment system and protect the Medicare guarantee for our parents and grandparents.
The bill, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, passed Congress by an overwhelming vote of 392 to 37. As a doctor who's cared for many patients on Medicare, I'm so glad both parties came together to put people ahead of politics.
This is a very big deal. Passing this bill means:
* Honoring our promises to the 49 million Americans on Medicare, and the 10,000 baby boomers that join Medicare every day.
* Ensuring 7.4 million patients still have access to health care at community health centers.
* Enabling more than 8 million women and children to keep their health care through the Children's Health Insurance Program.
* Saving taxpayers money by curbing fraud, waste and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid
At its core, this bill fixes a broken payment system called the Sustainable Growth Rate (or SGR).
SGR caused financial uncertainty in Medicare for more than a decade and forced doctors to see fewer Medicare patients. Today's bill ends that, and helps seniors on Medicare get the care they need.
But it also makes further reforms, potentially transforming how we deliver health care. These improvements will lower costs while protecting Medicare for the long term.
Under this bill, how doctors care for seniors is no longer about how many tests and procedures they order or how much they charge. Instead, success is judged by fewer repeat hospital visits, higher patient satisfaction, and fewer medical errors.
It also includes many critical provisions to help women and their families. It ensures millions of patients can continue to access quality, affordable health care at community health centers and with the Children's Health Insurance Program.
I came to Congress to work with people regardless of party to solve this country's toughest challenges. This bill is a good agreement, and a great example of how we can put people ahead of politics.
Congress should be a place for service, and I'm honored to work for you. As always, please feel free to share your thoughts.
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