WASHINGTON, DC - The Subcommittee on Health, chaired by Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA), today held a hearing to discuss options for improving post-acute care (PAC) for Medicare patients. Subcommittee members reviewed bipartisan proposals and ideas to strengthen Medicare and promote higher quality care for seniors by modernizing post-acute care payment policies.
“Over the past several years, central to this committee’s agenda has been our interest in understanding and responding to the need to modernize Medicare’s financing and payment structures," said Pitts. “There are many opportunities for the Medicare program to save taxpayers’ dollars and improve seniors’ quality of care through better management of post-acute care."
Full committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) added, “Improving post-acute care services for seniors is an area that is ripe for bipartisan agreements. There are a range of ideas on how to increase quality, improve seniors’ care, and reduce costs in a targeted manner."
One such idea is H.R. 1458, the Bundling and Coordinating Post-Acute Care Act (BACPAC), bipartisan legislation authored by committee member Rep. David McKinley (R-WV) along with Reps. Tom Price (R-GA), Jerry McNerney (D-CA), and Anna Eshoo (D-CA). “For the past three years, we have been working on this legislation to help reduce the stress for seniors dealing with Medicare after a hospital visit," said McKinley. “This bipartisan reform addresses the complicated decisions Medicare patients face by providing private-sector coordinators to guide patients through the process. BACPAC will strengthen Medicare for decades to come, help seniors receive the most effective care, and save taxpayers tens of billions of dollars."
“Medicare needs a range of policies to ensure the appropriate and efficient use of PAC services. In the near term, the Commission is recommending policies that ensure that program payments under PPS are commensurate with costs - a particularly important policy given the high payments for several PAC settings. … In the longer run, Medicare is beginning efforts to develop a common payment system that will eliminate the adverse incentives and inefficiencies resulting from multiple uncoordinated systems and focus the system on the patient’s needs."
- Dr. Mark Miller, Executive Director of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
“We believe patient-centered care coordination can be achieved via PAC bundling that provides consistent support and navigation assistance to discharged Medicare beneficiaries. It’s for this reason that the Partnership is pleased to add its support to the Bundling and Coordinating Post Acute Care Act."
- Dr. Steven Landers, President and CEO of Visiting Nurse Association Health Group
“Post-acute providers will continue to work with Congress to ensure that Medicare cost savings are achieved and beneficiary access to appropriate care is preserved."
- Dr. Samual Hammerman, Chief Medical Officer at the LTACH Hospital Division
“To build a payment system for PAC episodes that is risk adjusted based on patient characteristics, standardized patient assessment data are critical."
- Dr. Melissa Morley, Health Care Financing Payment Program Manager at RTI International
“AHCA stands ready to work with Congress, members of this and other Committees, as well as other health care providers on a road to PAC payment reform which will improve quality and outcomes for patients and their families."
- Leonard Russ, Chairman of American Health Care Association
