Federal Watch
January 27th, 2012
AGS is tracking developments of interest to geriatrics health professionals in order to provide weekly updates for our readers via our List Serv, americangeriatrics.org, our Facebook page, and our Twitter feed. This week, we share the latest on the “Doc Fix,” as well as the CLASS Act, and provide updates on the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute’s (PCORI) much anticipated release of their national research priorities and agenda. We additionally share our latest efforts of the week, and provide information on how you can continue your advocacy.
Congress Continues Talks Regarding “Doc Fix”
Meeting for the first time this week, members of a new bipartisan House-Senate Conference Committee have agreed that a deal must be made before the end of February to block a 27% physician payment cut under Medicare. The current two month extension, which was approved just before the New Year, expires on February 29th. The committee is also tasked with negotiating a final version of a yearlong payroll tax cut as well as how to extend expiring unemployment benefits. However, committee members differ in their opinions on how to cover the $160 billion it would cost to avoid deep cuts in fees to providers, maintain the payroll tax cut, and extend unemployment benefits. AGS has launched an advocacy campaign calling on our members to urge their members of Congress to repeal and replace the SGR with a more predictable and fairer system of updating physician payments, including appropriate and higher values for primary care services. For more information, please visit here.
House Schedules Vote to Repeal CLASS Act
AGS last reported on October 14th that the Obama administration announced its inability to advance the new long-term care insurance plan known as the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports program (CLASS ACT), which AGS has long supported. As the House prepares to vote to repeal the program next week, various long-term-care advocates have recently urged lawmakers to keep the voluntary payroll-deduction program alive. These groups have responded to Republican sentiment that the program is unworkable; and have urged lawmakers to “fix it instead of destroying it.” Connie Garner, a former health aide to the late Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) who is now leading efforts to build private-sector support for the program, adds that advocates are now turning their attention to the Senate, which holds the program's future in its hands since the Republican-led House will almost certainly vote for repeal. For more information, please visit here.
PCORI Releases National Priorities for Comparative Effectiveness Research
Earlier this week, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) issued a first draft of its proposed “National Priorities for Research and Research Agenda” for public comment. PCORI expects to learn from and update this as they move forward. They have not specified or prioritized any particular condition or disease for research at this point in time. Consistent with the criteria outlined in the Affordable Care Act, PCORI’s agenda addresses the following: Comparisons of Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment Options; Improving Healthcare Systems; Communication and Dissemination; Disparities; and Accelerating Patient-Centered and Methodological Research. AGS continues to engage with PCORI and plans to submit comments by the March deadline. For more information, please visit PCORI.org.
What AGS Did This Week
Alongside 109 other medical societies, the AGS has signed on to a letter developed by The American Medical Association (AMA), urging Congress to use a peace dividend from military pullbacks in Iraq and Afghanistan to underwrite the massive cost of repealing Medicare's sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula for setting physician reimbursement. The SGR formula calls for a 27.4% pay cut on March 1 unless Congress acts to avert it.
In addition, we submitted a letter to all twenty members of the joint House and Senate conference committee urging them to avoid Medicare payment cuts to Hospital Outpatient Evaluation and Management Services as they work to find a solution to fix the SGR.
How You Can Help:
AGS encourages you to Take Action by visiting AGS’ Health in Aging Advocacy Center. Contact your members of Congress today, and urge them to call for both the repeal of the SGR and comprehensive Medicare payment and delivery reform. Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Susie Sherman, Coordinator of Public Affairs & Advocacy, ssherman@americangeriatrics.org.
Modified On: February 2nd, 2012
