Health Reform One Year Later; Where Are We Now?
March 24th, 2011
It’s been one-year since President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law, which includes important provisions that are helping millions of older Americans and will continue to improve older adult healthcare. The Affordable Care Act addresses many issues that AGS has advocated for and includes provisions that will enhance the geriatrics and primary care workforce; support care coordination; establish training programs for direct-care workers and family caregivers, and provide long-term care services and supports options.
As described in the law, the Administration has established several commissions/panels/advisory boards, which have the potential to impact and shape geriatrics and quality healthcare for older Americans. These include:
National Health Care Workforce Commission
Our nation faces an impending geriatrics workforce crisis as the number of older patients with complex health needs outpaces the number of health care providers with the knowledge and skills to care for them. The Commission has an opportunity to advance fundamental changes to ensure that older adults have access to the high-quality care they need.
Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute
For geriatrics, breakthroughs in research can lead to the development of policies that will help older Americans, especially those with multiple chronic illnesses, lead healthier and more productive lives. AGS leader Mary Tinetti, MD, was appointed to the Methodology Committee of the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute.
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation
We believe the Center's work holds great promise for developing and replicating models that will improve the delivery and quality of care to older adults while potentially reducing costs to the Medicare program. AGS leader Chad Boult, MD, MPH, MBA has been named Senior Policy Advisor for the Center.
Federal Coordinated Health Care Office
This office has potential to assure that there are leverage points to coordinate and integrate care and to promote plans that work cost effectively for Medicare and Medicaid eligible beneficiaries.
AGS has commented on a number of provisions to be implemented as part of the Affordable Care Act including:
- Criteria for new Models of Care to be tested
- Incentive Payments for Primary Care Services
- Development of the Physician Compare Website
- Medicare Fraud and Abuse Provisions
- Graduate Medical Education (GME) and Preventive Services Provisions
- Development of guidance concerning Health Risk Assessments (HRAs)
We thank you for your various points of engagement and participation as we worked last year to see that geriatric and aging related provisions would be included and for the help of many of you in the issues that have come up for input this past year and will undoubtedly come our way this year as we work to assure the importance of quality and safe care for our country’s older adults. Should you have any questions about AGS’ public policy efforts or wish to get more involved, please don’t hesitate to contact Alanna Goldstein, Assistant Director of Public Affairs and Advocacy, at 212-308-1414 or agoldstein@americangeriatrics.org.
Modified On: January 2nd, 2013
