“Congress has to get moving on the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

On Friday of this week, Congressional advisors from MedPAC will urge the rollback of SGR’s automatic physician payment cuts. Their counterparts at MACPAC will ask Congress to keep bipartisan CHIP funded for all of the 8 million kids that depend on it.

Yet at this moment, all signs point to  another short-term SGR patch, paid for by yet another year of meat-ax sequestration cuts. Moreover, partisan maneuvering is threatening to derail action on CHIP, which would leave kids’ coverage in limbo and huge holes in state budgets.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Billions in savings can be found by curbing waste in Medicare—without shifting costs to beneficiaries or slashing provider reimbursement across the board. Reauthorization of CHIP is also entirely possible—without squeezing kids coverage. But both will require bipartisan dialogue and cooperation. NCHC is prepared to work with Congressional leaders to identify smart savings.

In the next two years, our divided government will have to grapple seriously with the challenge of rising health costs. Responsibly addressing SGR and CHIP would be a great way to start.”

See full press release: https://www.nchc.org/the-time-is-now-for-action-on-sgr-and-chip/

FILED UNDER: PRESS RELEASES

The Time is Now for Action on SGR and CHIP

MARCH 10, 2015 BY LARRY MCNEELY

March 10, 2015

Contact:   Kelly Peuquet
                 National Coalition on Health Care
                 [email protected]
                 202-638-7151, ext. 114

The Time is Now for Action on SGR and CHIP
Statement by National Coalition on Health Care President and CEO John Rother.

“Congress has to get moving on the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

On Friday of this week, Congressional advisors from MedPAC will urge the rollback of SGR’s automatic physician payment cuts. Their counterparts at MACPAC will ask Congress to keep bipartisan CHIP funded for all of the 8 million kids that depend on it.

Yet at this moment, all signs point to  another short-term SGR patch, paid for by yet another year of meat-ax sequestration cuts. Moreover, partisan maneuvering is threatening to derail action on CHIP, which would leave kids’ coverage in limbo and huge holes in state budgets.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Billions in savings can be found by curbing waste in Medicare—without shifting costs to beneficiaries or slashing provider reimbursement across the board. Reauthorization of CHIP is also entirely possible—without squeezing kids coverage. But both will require bipartisan dialogue and cooperation. NCHC is prepared to work with Congressional leaders to identify smart savings.

In the next two years, our divided government will have to grapple seriously with the challenge of rising health costs. Responsibly addressing SGR and CHIP would be a great way to start.”

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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.