Democrats Communicate Frustration
as Medicare Conference Moves Forward
October 24, 2003 - Key House and Senate Republican
negotiators to the Medicare prescription drug legislation
are reportedly pressing toward a Medicare agreement, hoping
to complete a partial outline by Oct. 24. However, Senate
Democrats left out of the negotiations are threatening to
withhold a majority of their party's their votes if the agreement
does not include certain conditions.
A reported Oct. 21 document summarizing conference progress
indicates movement in the following areas: drug benefit design,
low-income subsidies, dual eligibles, and government fallback.
The document also highlights the many issues left to be resolved,
including premium support and plan competition, importation
of drugs, employer-sponsored retiree coverage, provider payments
and others.
Conferees continue to discuss provider issues, including
the hospital inpatient update and Medicare Indirect Medical
Education (IME) relief. However, resolution on these issues
has yet to be released. In such provider discussions, Senate
conferees have reiterated their support for increasing the
IME beyond the Senate bill, to which House Medicare Conference
Chair Bill Thomas (R-Calif.) responds in adamant disagreement.
House and Senate Democrats are also expressing frustration
with being left out of the conference negotiations. Sens.
Tom Dashcle (D-S.D.), Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), Deborah Stabenow
(D-Mich.), Jon Corzine (D-N.J.) and Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) held
a press conference Oct. 23 to release a letter addressed to
President Bush outlining a series of conditions to be met
if the Administration wants bipartisan support. The letter
addresses premium support, cost containment, employer-sponsored
retiree coverage, assistance for low-income beneficiaries,
and tax incentives for medical savings accounts and is signed
by 41 Senators, including 39 Democrats, Sen. Jim Jeffords
(I-Vt.) and Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine.). States the letter,
"We urge you to provide the leadership necessary to achieve
a bipartisan bill that can become law."
Additionally, five House and Senate Democrat conferees sent
an Oct. 20 letter to Republican Medicare conferees Sen. Charles
Grassley (R-Iowa), Rep. Bill Thomas (R-Calif.), and Rep. Billy
Tauzin (R-La.) to request that they be included in conference
negotiations. "You have allowed no Democratic conferees
from the House of Representatives, and only two of the four
Democratic conferees from the Senate, to attend these meetings"
states the letter signed by Sens. Daschle, John D. Rockefeller
(D-W.Va.), and Reps. John Dingell (D-Mich.), Charlie Rangel
(D-N.Y.), and Marion Berry (D-Ark.). "We stand ready
to work, on a bipartisan basis, toward legislation to create
meaningful prescription drug coverage for Medicare beneficiaries."
Information:
Lynne Davis Boyle, Assistant Vice President
AAMC Government Relations
ldavisboyle@aamc.org
(202) 828-0526
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