Rep. Tauzin Predicts Future Battles Over Medicare Jurisdiction

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Billy Tauzin (R-La.) said on April 3 that he is "satisfied" with the compromise reached last week with House Ways and Means Committee Chair Bill Thomas (R-Calif.) on jurisdiction over Medicare reform, but predicted that the two panels will face "constant sources of jurisdictional issues," CongressDaily reports. Last week, House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) helped negotiate an agreement between the two chairs, with Thomas retaining "exclusive jurisdiction" over Medicare Part A, while Tauzin will "continue to have a role" in working on a prescription drug benefit for the program. Both chairs had threatened to have their respective committee members vote against the fiscal year 2002 budget resolution last week "over what each perceived as a power grab by the other over Medicare and prescription drugs." Tauzin, in an interview yesterday, said, "We need to make sure our jurisdiction is protected," adding that he was trying to make up for the committee's having been "relative[ly] inactive on health care issues" in recent years under its previous chair, former Rep. Thomas Bliley (R-Va.). Tauzin also said that he is "optimistic" that Medicare reform legislation, including a drug benefit, can be addressed by August, and that a patients' bill of rights can be signed by the end of the year (Fulton, CongressDaily, 4/3).