Health Policy Experts Say Congress Will Approve Medicare Provider ‘Giveback’ Package But Will Not Address Other Health Issues

Congress will likely reach a consensus on a Medicare provider "giveback" bill this year but other health care issues, including a Medicare prescription drug benefit, are unlikely to be addressed, according to some health policy experts, CongressDaily reports. Speaking at the Woman's National Democratic Club on Oct. 22, Chris Jennings, former White House health policy advisor for the Clinton administration, said, "There is general bipartisan agreement on (restoring payments for) doctors." Families USA Executive Director and Vice President Ron Pollack said, "We may do some of the 'givebacks.' But it's hard to believe that prescription drugs will be dealt with in any real fashion" (Fulton, CongressDaily, 10/23). In June, the House passed a $30 billion Medicare package that includes provider giveback provisions and a prescription drug benefit. But the Senate has failed several times to pass prescription drug benefit legislation or a Medicare giveback bill. Sens. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) sponsored a $44 billion bill that includes smaller than planned reimbursement reductions for hospitals and increases for rural physicians, hospitals and home health care agencies. The bill does not include a prescription drug benefit. Baucus' attempts to bring the legislation to the floor prior to the recess were blocked (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 10/17). Pollack said that he would prefer that lawmakers balance any Medicare giveback legislation with assistance for the uninsured and people with low incomes in the form of more funding for CHIP and Medicaid. "Those are the kinds of measures that really cry out for legislative action, it would be a shame that the more monied interests come away with more," Pollack said. For their part, physicians have "made a strong case" for restoring payment cuts implemented under the 1997 Balanced Budget Act, CongressDaily reports. According to a National Center for Policy Analysis study released Oct. 22, about 30% of physicians are limiting the number of new Medicare beneficiaries they treat, 47% of doctors are spending less time with Medicare beneficiaries and more than 38% have delayed new equipment purchases as a result of low reimbursements. The Alliance of Medical Societies, a coalition of 13 medical specialty groups, on Oct. 22 urged Congress to "avert additional cuts" in Medicare reimbursement when lawmaker reconvene next month (CongressDaily, 10/23).