Republican Conferees Set
Deadline for Completion of Medicare Talks
September 26, 2003 - House and Senate Republican conferees
to the Medicare reform and prescription drug legislation emerged
from a Sept. 24 closed meeting with House and Senate Republican
leaders Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) with
an Oct. 17 deadline by which to complete negotiations.
According to a proposed agenda distributed at the meeting,
"finishing the conference agreement by this date will ensure
that the report can be considered by both the House and Senate
before the first session of the 108th Congress adjourns."
The agenda outlines a timetable by which nine policy issues
would be finalized. The nine policy issues include: health
plan competition, means testing for the drug benefit, dual
eligible/low income benefit, cost containment, provider payment
issues, revenue provisions, new agency, premium support/direct
competition and federal fallback.
Conference discussion on the design of the prescription drug
benefit will take place the week of Sept. 29. Provider payment
issues are on the schedule for discussion the same week.
The conferees plan to meet with President Bush at the White
House Sept. 25.
In a briefing to Iowa reporters, conferee and Senate Finance
Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) expressed doubts
that action could be completed by the deadline.
Senator Frist and Speaker Hastert are reportedly prepared
to step in to make compromise recommendations if the conferees
fail to meet the interim goals leading to Oct. 17.
Information:
Lynne Davis Boyle, Assistant Vice President
AAMC Office of Governmental Relations
ldavisboyle@aamc.org
(202) 828-0526
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