March 26, 2015

Contact:   Kelly Peuquet
                 National Coalition on Health Care
                 kpeuquet@nchc.org
                 202-638-7151, ext. 114

NCHC Applauds House Vote to End SGR, Advance Health Care Delivery and Transparency Reforms
Statement by National Coalition on Health Care President and CEO John Rother on House passage of H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act

“The House has now voted overwhelmingly not just to end SGR’s automatic Medicare cuts but to enact delivery reform and transparency measures that can make health care more affordable for all of us. We applaud them for their leadership.

“This compromise bill is not perfect. NCHC has long supported an alternative approach to offsets through stronger delivery and prescription drug reforms, not cost-shifting to beneficiaries or others. We also prefer a longer CHIP extension and a long-term solution for Medicare therapy caps.

“But failure to act could jeopardize care for seniors, children, and disabled Americans while leaving unchecked the fee-for-service incentives at the heart of our health care cost problem. In the next few days, Congress must work together to get these important reforms to the President’s desk.”

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The National Coalition on Health Care (NCHC), the oldest and most diverse group working to achieve comprehensive health system reform, is a 501(c)(3) organization representing more than 80 participating organizations, including medical societies, businesses, unions, health care providers, faith-based associations, pension and health funds, insurers and groups representing consumers, patients, women, minorities and persons with disabilities. Member organizations collectively represent – as employees, members, or congregants – over 100 million Americans.

Some members of NCHC do not, or cannot, take positions either on specific legislation, strategies or on any policies outside their respective mission areas. However, all that can, do endorse broad policy positions in support of comprehensive health system change.