Finding savings in our current health care system is not just about paying for reform in the short-term – it’s about controlling unsustainable health care costs in the long run, or "bending the curve" on health care spending. We cannot just keep adding patients to a broken system. Without controlling health care costs, families will continue to be burdened with higher premiums, businesses will be forced to drop coverage or lay off workers, and our national and state budgets will be fiscally unsustainable.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the Medicare reforms in this bill will save more than $500 billion over the next ten years. Many of the reforms to the way we deliver health care are designed for long-term savings—like preventive and wellness care—but will not be "scored" by CBO. All of these reforms are critical to the long-term sustainability of our health care system.
Delivery reform means making sure that the right patient gets the right treatment at the right time, in the most efficient way possible. This bill includes reforms in Medicare that will reward the quality of care, not the quantity of care. America’s Affordable Health Choices Act:
- Creates incentives to reduce preventable hospital readmissions that reward transition planning and coordination for patients who move from a hospital bed back home or to another health facility;
- Promotes Accountable Care Organizations that provide for hospitals and doctors working together to manage and coordinate care;
- Establishes pilot projects to test “bundling” payment methodology under which one payment would be made -- rather than separate payments -- to any combination of a physician, acute and post-acute providers;
- Ensures that physicians and nurses have access to the most accurate and up to date research when making treatment decisions;
- Builds productivity adjustments into provider payment systems – encouraging providers to improve efficiency on pace with the rest of the economy.
In trying to get health care costs under control, it's important that we know what we're paying for. That means cracking down on waste, fraud, and abuse, and making sure that payments are made accurately and for the right services and coverage. America’s Affordable Health Choices Act:
- Requires providers and suppliers to adopt compliance programs as a condition of participating in Medicare and Medicaid;
- Increases funding for the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Fund to fight Medicare and Medicaid fraud;
- Eliminates wasteful overpayments to Medicare Advantage plans that increase private plan profits, not patient care;
- Improves payment accuracy for numerous other providers, following recommendations by the non-partisan Medicare Payment Advisory Commission;
- Requires drug and device companies to disclose their payments to physicians to reduce excessive utilization.
Benjamin Franklin was right – “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Prevention and wellness programs will help Americans live longer, healthier lives, and help reduce the need for more costly treatments of health conditions later in life. America’s Affordable Health Choices Act:
- Eliminates patient co-pays on preventive services in Medicare and private plans;
- Creates community-based programs that deliver prevention and wellness services;
- Invests in the science of prevention so physicians know which preventive treatments work best.
Primary care providers can provide lower cost and higher quality care for many ailments. America’s Affordable Health Choice Act:
- Improves payments for family doctors and other primary care providers;
- Increases training of primary care doctors;
- Expands Community Health Centers;
- Encourages physician training outside the hospital, where most primary care is delivered;
- Promotes medical homes that encourage primary care providers to manage and coordinate their patients' care over time.
Ensuring coverage for everyone won’t fix our health care system unless we also make sure we have a strong health care workforce that is designed to meet their needs. Affordable Health Choice Act:
- Expands the pipeline of individuals going into health professions (such as primary care, nursing, and public health);
- Creates and expands scholarships and loans for individuals in needed professions and shortage areas;
- Increases the National Health Service Corps by an amount sufficient to eliminate 40% of the estimated shortfall in primary care providers;
- Improves accountability for graduate medical education funding to ensure that physicians are trained with the right skills to practice modern health care;
- Strengthens tools to gather data on health care workforce needs and diversity.
Information provided by my Congresswoman, Kathy Dahlkemper, a conservative Democrat, often referred to as one of the "Blue Dogs." I called her today to let her know I am proud she is standing firm on health care reform.
The bill is still not as strong as I'd like it to be, but I know it is a very big step in the right direction.
Both the AARP and the AMA endorsed the House bill today.
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Comments: 41
Retiree Reserve Trust Fund (Section 111(d), p. 61)
Grant program for wellness programs to small employers (Section 112, p. 62)
Grant program for State health access programs (Section 114, p. 72)
Program of administrative simplification (Section 115, p. 76)
Health Benefits Advisory Committee (Section 223, p. 111)
Health Choices Administration (Section 241, p. 131)
Qualified Health Benefits Plan Ombudsman (Section 244, p. 138)
Health Insurance Exchange (Section 201, p. 155)
Program for technical assistance to employees of small businesses buying Exchange coverage (Section 305(h), p. 191)
Mechanism for insurance risk pooling to be established by Health Choices Commissioner (Section 306(b), p. 194)
Health Insurance Exchange Trust Fund (Section 307, p. 195)
State-based Health Insurance Exchanges (Section 308, p. 197)
Grant program for health insurance cooperatives (Section 310, p. 206)
“Public Health Insurance Option” (Section 321, p. 211)
Ombudsman for “Public Health Insurance Option” (Section 321(d), p. 213)
Account for receipts and disbursements for “Public Health Insurance Option” (Section 322(b), p. 215)
Telehealth Advisory Committee (Section 1191 (b), p. 589)
Demonstration program providing reimbursement for “culturally and linguistically appropriate services” (Section 1222, p. 617)
Demonstration program for shared decision making using patient decision aids (Section 1236, p. 648)
Accountable Care Organization pilot program under Medicare (Section 1301, p. 653)
Independent patient-centered medical home pilot program under Medicare (Section 1302, p. 672)
Community-based medical home pilot program under Medicare (Section 1302(d), p. 681)
Independence at home demonstration program (Section 1312, p. 718)
Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research (Section 1401(a), p. 734)
Comparative Effectiveness Research Commission (Section 1401(a), p. 738)
Patient ombudsman for comparative effectiveness research (Section 1401(a), p. 753)
Quality assurance and performance improvement program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 1412(b)(1), p. 784)
Quality assurance and performance improvement program for nursing facilities (Section 1412 (b)(2), p. 786)
29. Special focus facility program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 1413(a)(3), p. 796)
Special focus facility program for nursing facilities (Section 1413(b)(3), p. 804)
National independent monitor pilot program for skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities (Section 1422, p. 859)
Demonstration program for approved teaching health centers with respect to Medicare GME (Section 1502(d), p. 933)
Pilot program to develop anti-fraud compliance systems for Medicare providers (Section 1635, p. 978)
Special Inspector General for the Health Insurance Exchange (Section 1647, p. 1000)
Medical home pilot program under Medicaid (Section 1722, p. 1058)
Accountable Care Organization pilot program under Medicaid (Section 1730A, p. 1073)
Nursing facility supplemental payment program (Section 1745, p. 1106)
Demonstration program for Medicaid coverage to stabilize emergency medical conditions in institutions for mental diseases (Section 1787, p. 1149)
Comparative Effectiveness Research Trust Fund (Section 1802, p. 1162)
“Identifiable office or program” within CMS to “provide for improved coordination between Medicare and Medicaid in the case of dual eligibles” (Section 1905, p. 1191)
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (Section 1907, p. 1198)
Public Health Investment Fund (Section 2002, p. 1214)
Scholarships for service in health professional needs areas (Section 2211, p. 1224)
Program for training medical residents in community-based settings (Section 2214, p. 1236)
Grant program for training in dentistry programs (Section 2215, p. 1240)
Public Health Workforce Corps (Section 2231, p. 1253)
Public health workforce scholarship program (Section 2231, p. 1254)
Public health workforce loan forgiveness program (Section 2231, p. 1258)
Grant program for innovations in interdisciplinary care (Section 2252, p. 1272)
Advisory Committee on Health Workforce Evaluation and Assessment (Section 2261, p. 1275)
Prevention and Wellness Trust (Section 2301, p. 1286)
Clinical Prevention Stakeholders Board (Section 2301, p. 1295)
Community Prevention Stakeholders Board (Section 2301, p. 1301)
Grant program for community prevention and wellness research (Section 2301, p. 1305)
Grant program for research and demonstration projects related to wellness incentives (Section 2301, p. 1305)
Grant program for community prevention and wellness services (Section 2301, p. 1308)
Grant program for public health infrastructure (Section 2301, p. 1313)
Center for Quality Improvement (Section 2401, p. 1322)
Assistant Secretary for Health Information (Section 2402, p. 1330)
Grant program to support the operation of school-based health clinics (Section 2511, p. 1352)
Grant program for nurse-managed health centers (Section 2512, p. 1361)
Grants for labor-management programs for nursing training (Section 2521, p. 1372)
Grant program for interdisciplinary mental and behavioral health training (Section 2522, p. 1382)
“No Child Left Unimmunized Against Influenza” demonstration grant program (Section 2524, p. 1391)
Healthy Teen Initiative grant program regarding teen pregnancy (Section 2526, p. 1398)
Grant program for interdisciplinary training, education, and services for individuals with autism (Section 2527(a), p. 1402)
University centers for excellence in developmental disabilities education (Section 2527(b), p. 1410)
Grant program to implement medication therapy management services (Section 2528, p. 1412)
Grant program to promote positive health behaviors in underserved communities (Section 2530, p. 1422)
Grant program for State alternative medical liability laws (Section 2531, p. 1431)
Grant program to develop infant mortality programs (Section 2532, p. 1433)
Grant program to prepare secondary school students for careers in health professions (Section 2533, p. 1437)
Grant program for community-based collaborative care (Section 2534, p. 1440)
Grant program for community-based overweight and obesity prevention (Section 2535, p. 1457)
Grant program for reducing the student-to-school nurse ratio in primary and secondary schools (Section 2536, p. 1462)
Demonstration project of grants to medical-legal partnerships (Section 2537, p. 1464)
Center for Emergency Care under the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (Section 2552, p. 1478)
Council for Emergency Care (Section 2552, p 1479)
Grant program to support demonstration programs that design and implement regionalized emergency care systems (Section 2553, p. 1480)
Grant program to assist veterans who wish to become emergency medical technicians upon discharge (Section 2554, p. 1487)
Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee (Section 2562, p. 1494)
National Medical Device Registry (Section 2571, p. 1501)
CLASS Independence Fund (Section 2581, p. 1597)
CLASS Independence Fund Board of Trustees (Section 2581, p. 1598)
CLASS Independence Advisory Council (Section 2581, p. 1602)
Health and Human Services Coordinating Committee on Women’s Health (Section 2588, p. 1610)
National Women’s Health Information Center (Section 2588, p. 1611)
Centers for Disease Control Office of Women’s Health (Section 2588, p. 1614)
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Office of Women’s Health and Gender-Based Research (Section 2588, p. 1617)
Health Resources and Services Administration Office of Women’s Health (Section 2588, p. 1618)
Food and Drug Administration Office of Women’s Health (Section 2588, p. 1621)
Personal Care Attendant Workforce Advisory Panel (Section 2589(a)(2), p. 1624)
Grant program for national health workforce online training (Section 2591, p. 1629)
Grant program to disseminate best practices on implementing health workforce investment programs (Section 2591, p. 1632)
Demonstration program for chronic shortages of health professionals (Section 3101, p. 1717)
Demonstration program for substance abuse counselor educational curricula (Section 3101, p. 1719)
Program of Indian community education on mental illness (Section 3101, p. 1722)
Intergovernmental Task Force on Indian environmental and nuclear hazards (Section 3101, p. 1754)
Office of Indian Men’s Health (Section 3101, p. 1765)
Indian Health facilities appropriation advisory board (Section 3101, p. 1774)
Indian Health facilities needs assessment workgroup (Section 3101, p. 1775)
Indian Health Service tribal facilities joint venture demonstration projects (Section 3101, p. 1809)
Urban youth treatment center demonstration project (Section 3101, p. 1873)
Grants to Urban Indian Organizations for diabetes prevention (Section 3101, p. 1874)
Grants to Urban Indian Organizations for health IT adoption (Section 3101, p. 1877)
Mental health technician training program (Section 3101, p. 1898)
Indian youth telemental health demonstration project (Section 3101, p. 1909)
Program for treatment of child sexual abuse victims and perpetrators (Section 3101, p. 1925)
Program for treatment of domestic violence and sexual abuse (Section 3101, p. 1927)
Native American Health and Wellness Foundation (Section 3103, p. 1966)
Committee for the Establishment of the Native American Health and Wellness Foundation (Section 3103, p. 1968)
Barrack Obama's czar-headed "monster" government continues to expand its control over our everyday lives! PELOSICARE is planning to force this "worst bill ever" down everyone's throats Saturday.
The Wall Street Journal is calling Nancy Pelosi's 1,990-page government takeover of healthcare the "worst piece of post-New Deal legislation ever introduced."
The 20-pound, 1,990 page healthcare "reform" bill (H.R. 3962) will create 111 NEW federal bureaucracies.
The CBO (Congressional Budget Office) said on Thursday of last week that the U.S. House health-care system reform ("PELOSICARE") has a price tag of $1.055 trillion.
I want you to let your Congressmen and Senators know how you feel about this latest attempt to turn the United States into a socialist state!
Great Scott, does that mean my dobosh torte might be adulterated?
Source: House Republican Conference
A source you can trust?
What's in your wallet?
That might work.
As you can see, the FACTS refute the statements made today by Republican John Boehner and his compatriots on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. Contrary to the mythmakers, the bill does not take away your freedom to choose your doctor.
There is no cost to the government associated with this legislation, but it would make insurance coverage available to a large number of individuals who are excluded from the current system.
Common sense.
This is how much fear has been bought and paid for by the insurance companies. *THEY* certainly don't want change because they are getting richer by the year! And we the people are getting more and more poor.
I just cleaned out my bills and threw out several duplicate copies of hospital bills I cannot pay. Some have now gone to collections, and I can't pay them, either. I am out of work, and have a very meager lifestyle. But I know when I look around and see so many of us in this predicament, and know that it can be fixed, it can be frustrating when some folks are trying to tell me they "like it the way it is". I don't. And my daughter doesn't. She can't quite qualify for disability care, but she's a brain tumor survivor who has doctor's orders to get an MRI every year to make sure the tumor doesn't come back. She hasn't made it the last 4 years. No insurance, no medical care.
We need to work together on a solution, the sooner the better.
I know two people who will probably be blind, needing dialysis, probably crippled due to diabetes.
I know one person who will be deaf due to repeated ruptured ear drums. She may die before being too much of a burden, though, because she can't afford mental health care.
Another guy I know eats Raman noodles as a mainstay diet, doesn't go to the doctor's until the cut is so infected it gets into his joints, and who uses Jack Daniels as a replacement for counseling over the grief of his oldest daughter's death.
I know one woman who avoids groups of people and public places because she can't afford to get sick.
These are real people with intelligence and talent to offer the world.
I pray that the current health care reform bill will at least start things moving in the right direction without too much red tape. I pray that my friends and family who are victims of the soured economy will see a better day.
While more Americans seems health conscious, the majority does not seem to "get it". I have argued for taxing those products that contribute to disease and injury, e.g., tobacco, junk food, alcohol (and other drugs, if legalized), handguns and ammo, and surcharges of moving traffic violations. This would discourage use and provide revenue for treatment.
Critics of my suggestion have claimed that it is "unconstitutional", but have failed to produce any alternative suggestions, though they do not disagree with Dr. Weil's position. Those with "conservative", "libertarian", and "laissez faire" economic ideologies should provide alternative plans, or admit that their outlook fails to address (at least) one of the nation's most serious problems.
The is the most pork-filled bill I have ever seen..
Prima--Please read all 1,900 pages FIRST then get back to me..
My only problem is it has 1,900 pages of mostly unintelligible gobbly gook that neither parties really understand..
Health care reform is indeed, a complicated issue, but that's tough pill for ideologues to swallow.