NCHC Commends Landmark SGR Reform Proposal from Finance and Ways and Means Committees

December 9, 2013

Contact: Larry McNeely
                    National Coalition on Health Care
                    [email protected]
                    202-638-7151, ext. 109

Statement by National Coalition on Health Care (NCHC) President and CEO John Rother on proposed legislation repealing Medicare’s Sustainable Growth Rate and reforming physician payment, scheduled for consideration this week by the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee.

NCHC commends Chairmen Camp and Baucus, along with Ranking Members Hatch and Levin,  for a landmark proposal that would end the threat of SGR-driven provider cuts and will help keep Medicare affordable over the long-term. Their revised discussion draft reflects a strong bipartisan consensus among health care stakeholders and experts on the need to move past today’s volume-based payment system to value-based approaches and innovative models of health care delivery. While Congress must still identify ways to pay for the proposed SGR reform that avoid cost-shifting and blunt cuts to beneficiaries or providers, the growing bipartisan congressional momentum behind reform is good news for both Medicare beneficiaries and taxpayers. NCHC urges both Committees to promptly advance this important legislation to the full House and Senate.

Document: Press Release – NCHC Commends Landmark SGR Proposal