Three committees in the House of Representatives released an outline of their health care reform bill, which they hope to pass by August. Here's a list of the proposed changes to Medicare. As always, we're interested in your thoughts.
- Replaces the currently flawed Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula that determines physician pay rates in Medicare;
- Increases reimbursement for primary care providers, improves the Part D program, and implements many other MedPAC recommendations;
- Extends solvency by eliminating overpayments to Medicare Advantage plans, and refining payment rates for certain services;
- Creates new consumer protections for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries;
- Improves low-income subsidy programs to ensure Medicare is truly affordable and accessible for those with lower incomes; and
- Eliminates cost-sharing for all preventive services.
See the June 15 issue of Part B News for more coverage of the latest legislative news.