Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Harry Reid (D-NV), along with 10 other Senators, introduced legislation June 24 endorsed by American Geriatrics Society (AGS) that would authorize Medicare coverage of geriatric assessment and care management for eligible Medicare beneficiaries. Rep. Gene Green (D-TX) introduced a companion measure in the House of Representatives that has five cosponsors.
"I have a special interest in preparing health care providers and Medicare for the inevitable 'aging of America,'" said Senator Blanche Lincoln. "By improving access to geriatric care, the Geriatric and Chronic Care Management Act of 2004 takes an important first step in modernizing Medicare for the 21st century."
The Geriatric and Chronic Care Management Act (formerly known as the Geriatric Care Act) seeks to address the barriers to chronic care facing the elderly and their providers. Currently, 20% of Medicare beneficiaries have at least five chronic conditions, accounting for two-thirds of total program spending. Medicare's current fee-for-service system, however, doesn't cover the costs of geriatric assessments and care coordination services that are vital to managing multiple chronic conditions. S.2593/H.R. 4689 would realign the financial incentives within Medicare fee-for-service to better support quality chronic care by reimbursing physicians for geriatric assessment and for care management services shown to be effective in managing chronic disease such as medication management, coordination with other providers to avoid duplication of tests, patient and family caregiver education, and referral to and coordination with community services.
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