House Committee Approves Medicare Contractor Reform Bill

The House Energy and Commerce Committee on Oct. 31 unanimously passed its version of a Medicare contractor reform and regulatory relief measure that includes several "significant changes" from a similar bill (HR 3046) approved earlier this month by the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, CongressDaily reports. The measure, approved by voice vote, includes two changes designed to benefit Medicare beneficiaries. One change would enable beneficiaries to determine in advance if Medicare will cover certain services or procedures. A second change would delay a requirement allowing beneficiaries to change plans only once per calendar year. The "lock-in" provision, scheduled to begin in January, would take effect in 2003. Managed care companies and beneficiary advocates said that such a requirement would "hurt the already struggling Medicare+Choice program." CongressDaily reports that Ways and Means Committee Chair Rep. Bill Thomas (R-Calif.), who fought to add the lock-in requirement to the 1997 Balanced Budget Act, is "likely to fight" the delay. Other changes in the legislation include language added by Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) that would "help hospitals deal more easily" with requirements that they treat patients seeking care at emergency rooms. Rep. Charlie Norwood (R-Ga.) also changed several provisions in the legislation, including one that would make it more difficult for auditors to use "extrapolation" to determine how much physicians may owe Medicare in overpayments. CongressDaily reports that the new measure will be merged with a companion measure (HR 2768) approved by the Ways and Means Committee earlier this month. The merged bill could be sent to the floor "in the coming weeks" (Rovner, CongressDaily, 10/31).