Read the letter from Washington State Representatives Rick Larsen, Norm Dicks, Brian Baird, Adam Smith, and several more from around the country here: Click Here to download the letter.
In the above letter to the House leadership, several Washington State representatives and others from around the country suggest they will not vote for a healthcare reform package unless Medicare reimbursements inequities are addressed.
Physicians’ groups have been pushing to correct inequities in reimbursement rates in numerous government healthcare programs, and the MediFair Act, sponsored by Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, is an attempt at reaching that goal.
Due to lower reimbursement rates many Washington State physicians have struggled financially to provide healthcare for the Medicare patients they have or to accept new Medicare lives into their care.
With additional resources, Washington physicians can reinvest in patient care. This includes funding chronic care registries and health record banking that would have pronounced beneficial effects on healthcare delivery.
Washington physicians would receive about $1200 more per beneficiary if Washington State Medicare reimbursement rates were increased to the national average. Statewide, it represents an increase of over $1 billion.
Proponents of balancing the Medicare reimbursement rates suggest the current system is not the most effective path toward providing the highest quality patient care for patients in Washington State.
Archive for July, 2009
Washington Representatives threaten no vote on healthcare reform until Medicare reimbursement inequities addressed
Friday, July 24th, 2009Cantwell: “I support a public plan.”
Friday, July 24th, 2009On Tuesday, June 30th, Senator Maria Cantwell and Governor Chris Gregoire held a healthcare panel discussion at the University of Washington School of Medicine before an overflow crowd.
Cantwell came out in favor of a public healthcare plan, saying directly, “Yes, I support a public plan.” She has been on the fence about this issue, getting pressure even from longtime supporters. Labor groups have been among those pressuring her, and their representative at the forum called for “a robust public option.”
Cantwell said she wants to make sure there is a public plan so costs can be effectively driven down.
As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, which is a key committee in the healthcare reform debate, Cantwell’s voice on healthcare reform is significant. That committee is expected to share a new draft of a healthcare bill in the next week.
Cantwell’s announcement came just after Senate Democrats picked up one more seat with Senator-Elect Al Franken announced as the winner of the highly contested Senate race in Minnesota. That victory gives Democrats 60 seats in the Senate, making a filibuster-proof majority.
Cantwell also professed support for Primary Care Providers and general practice physicians, the ones responsible for coordinating patient care with specialty physicians. Cantwell said the new system must “reward [PCPs] for coordinating care.”
Cantwell also made clear she intends to bring equality to Medicare reimbursements on a national level. Currently, Washington State receives less than the average reimbursements from federal Medicare coffers, and healthcare outcomes are better in Washington than many of the state’s that receive more money.
Senator Patty Murray sponsored the MediFair Act, which Cantwell co-sponsored, that would balance reimbursement rates to states.
At the discussion in Seattle, Governor Gregoire told the crowd, “We have a healthcare crisis in America.” Gregoire has spent the last week in Washington DC in meetings about healthcare reform, including with President Barack Obama.
Gregoire told the audience that in those meetings she said, “We need a comprehensive solution today.”
For a timely and interesting perspective in opposition to a public plan, see Richard Davis’s piece in today’s Everett Herald: http://tinyurl.com/n7e9k5. Note however that the Lewin Group is a wholly owned subsidiary of United Healthcare. Read about it at: http://tinyurl.com/ls973l
Senate Finance Committee Healthcare Policy Options
Friday, July 24th, 2009The Senate Finance Committee is one of 5 committees (3 in House, 2 in Senate) reviewing healthcare legislation. As of today, it appears there will be no vote in the Senate on healthcare, but that the Finance Committee will have legislation drafted and edited (“marked up”).
In the spring, the Finance Committee put out 3 whitepapers which extensively reviewed the possibilities and policy options for reform. Attached to this memo is a letter from NPN which addressed selected policy options and took positions where appropriate.
The Senate whitepapers outlined a set of guidelines for healthcare reform including the following: establishment of a hospital value-based program, a physicians’ quality reporting initiative, establishing inpatient rehab and long term acute care hospital reporting, and creating primary care and general surgery incentives.
- Report 1: Transforming the Health Care Delivery System: Proposals to Improve Patient Care and Reduce Health Care Costs. Read the report here.
- Report 2: Expanding Health Care Coverage: Proposals to Provide Affordable Coverage to All Americans. Read the report here.
- Report 3: Financing Comprehensive Health Care Reform: Proposed Health System Savings and Revenue Options. Read the report here.