Senate Provider Legislation
Stalled
October 11, 2002-Despite attempts by Senate Finance
Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) to bring provider
legislation, S.
3018, to the floor for consideration, those who oppose
the legislation, including individual Senate Republicans,
the White House, and the Association of American Retired Persons
(AARP), continue to prevent the legislation from being debated.
Because Sen. Baucus is trying to bring the legislation to
the floor under a "unanimous consent" procedure,
Senate rules dictate that there must be no opposition whatsoever
to the legislation. When Sen. Baucus brought the legislation
up by unanimous consent Oct. 4, Sen. Don Nickles (R-Okla.)
objected, thereby preventing any opportunity for consideration.
Sen. Nickles objected based on the lack of opportunity to
mark up and amend the bill in the Senate Finance Committee.
Sen. Nickles stated concerns with the overall size of the
package and the bill's failure to include certain outpatient
provisions. Further, Sen. Nickles said, " I don't believe
it dealt with the wage index for rural areas, at least satisfactorily
to Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) and myself." He also
cited Sen. Olympia Snowe's (R-Maine) interested in including
a prescription drug benefit.
Remarks given Oct. 8 by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services (CMS) Administrator Tom Scully reportedly reiterated
that the administration favors a more limited package that
would reverse physician fee cuts, give Medicare managed-care
plans more money and allow states to carry over unused funds
for the State Children's Health Insurance Program.
An Oct. 9 letter sent by the AARP to the Senate Leadership
expressed opposition any provider package that does not include
a drug benefit. The letter raised issue with S. 3018's impact
on increasing premiums, "rais[ing] Part B premiums…by
$6 billion in the first five years alone." The letter
stated, "less than 10 percent of that package would directly
benefit Medicare beneficiaries - the people the program is
supposed to be serving."
AARP's letter did say, however, that it was not opposed to
corrections in "errors or miscalculations in Medicare
payment formulas," most likely referring to physician
payments. Moreover, the letter stated, "fiscal relief
to states to avoid drastic Medicaid cuts should be addressed."
The AAMC continues to press the Senate for action on S. 3018.
Information:
Lynne Davis Boyle, Assistant Vice President
AAMC Office of Governmental Relations
ldavisboyle@aamc.org
(202) 828-0526
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