CQ’s Carey Discusses Medicare Physician Reimbursement, Ryan White CARE Act, Von Eschenbach’s Confirmation To Head FDA
- Thursday, December 21, 2006, 11:14
- Medicare, Primary Care
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Mary Agnes Carey, associate editor of CQ HealthBeat, discusses congressional action to stop scheduled cuts to Medicare physician reimbursements in exchange for quality-of-care reporting, confirmation of Andrew von Eschenbach as FDA commissioner and the three-year reauthorization of the Ryan White CARE Act in this week’s “Health on the Hill from kaisernetwork.org and CQ.” According to Carey, lawmakers before the conclusion of the 109th Congress reversed the scheduled 5% cut to Medicare physician reimbursement that would have begun Jan. 1, 2007. Instead, starting in July 2007, physicians who report quality-of-care data will receive a 1.5% reimbursement bonus. However, lawmakers still need to develop a long-term plan for Medicare physician payment sustainability, Carey says. According to Carey, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission in March 2007 will issue recommendations for a new reimbursement formula, which likely will include pay-for-performance measures. Carey also discusses reauthorization of the Ryan White CARE Act, which was held up in the Senate because of cuts in funding for large cities. Congress limited the cuts before the legislation was approved, Carey says, adding that in the House the bill was held by Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) until the Senate passed the NIH reauthorization bill. In addition, before Congress adjourned, the Senate voted 80-11 to confirm von Eschenbach as FDA commissioner after an 89-6 vote to invoke cloture because of several holds on his confirmation, according to Carey. Outgoing Senate Finance Committee Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) was among key lawmakers blocking the confirmation because von Eschenbach did not grant Grassley access to documents and FDA employees as part of an investigation involving the agency’s approval of the antibiotic Ketek, Carey says. Von Eschenbach had been serving as acting commissioner since September 2005. Carey also discusses Democrats’ health care agenda for the 110th Congress, including legislation to mandate government negotiations for Medicare drugs, SCHIP reauthorization and a bill by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) that would provide universal health care coverage for all U.S. residents (Carey, “Health on the Hill from kaisernetwork.org and CQ,” 12/18).
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