December 7, 2016

Contact:   Larry McNeely
                  National Coalition on Health Care (NCHC)
                  lmcneely@nchc.org
                  202-638-7151, ext. 109

NCHC Urges Congress to Preserve Provider Payment Testing and Expansion Authority

WASHINGTON – In a letter submitted Tuesday evening, National Coalition on Health Care, the nation’s largest and most broadly representative alliance of health care stakeholders, called on Congress to preserve the Department of Health and Human Services’ flexibility to test alternative models of provider payment in Medicare and Medicaid and expand those which are successful.

“A rollback of HHS’ capacity to test and expand new payment models would fracture the bipartisan consensus behind MACRA and make health care less affordable long-term.” said John Rother, NCHC’s President and CEO.  “Instead, NCHC and its members hope to work with Congress and the administration to ensure that the testing and expansion authority, now housed at Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, is preserved and deployed as effectively as possible.”

Read the full letter here.

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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.