Blackburn Supports Bipartisan Plan to Replace SGR

Statement

House Energy and Commerce Committee Vice Chair Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) issued the following statement in support of H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, the bipartisan plan unveiled today to permanently replace Medicare's Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR).

"Nearly everyone knows someone who has found it very difficult to find a doctor who is taking new Medicare patients. In addition, current Medicare patients are finding it difficult to find a specialist who will take Medicare.

"This access problem has occurred, in part, because of a budget gimmick -- the SGR (Sustainable Growth Rate). The intent of SGR was to control costs in Medicare spending. SGR did not achieve that goal and one of the unintended consequences of SGR was to make the reimbursement of healthcare providers very unpredictable. As a result, many providers decided to limit their Medicare practices.

"H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, will finally eliminate the flawed SGR. It will be replaced with common sense legislation, which will provide healthcare providers with the predictability to run their practices and care for seniors on Medicare.

"This legislation will provide actual, structural entitlement reform by changing the way healthcare providers are paid. Everyone agrees that healthcare reimbursement should encourage quality and coordination of care, rather than volume. This legislation is the right move in that direction.

"It is a win-win-win for seniors, your local healthcare providers, and hard-working taxpayers."

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