"Thank you to Chairman Herger for holding this hearing to review these “Medicare provider extenders." I would also note that there are two provisions that help low-income people that also need extension, at a cost of $2.1 billion, but these are not part of the focus of today’s meeting. Looking at the entire package, some of these provisions, like the therapy cap exception process and continuation of the QI program, ensure critical access to needy Medicare beneficiaries. Others are provisions that were enacted to address a perceived payment problem for a particular provider at a certain time and may not be necessary anymore. I look forward to hearing the views of our witnesses as we attempt to discern which of these provisions fits in which of these categories.
"For the last decade, these extenders have generally ridden on legislation preventing a pending cut in physician payment due to the broken Medicare physician payment formula, or SGR as it is commonly called here in Washington.
"I will be curious to hear from each of the witnesses today about their thoughts of the role the new “Super Committee" for deficit reduction will play this year as we work to both resolve the SGR and these extenders.
"The Super Committee has been mandated to come forth with a deficit reduction plan by November 23rd that will trim a minimum of $1.5 trillion from our deficit over the next decade. The President and others have made clear that Medicare cuts are on the table as part of that process.
"I would respectfully argue that Medicare savings should first go to fix shortcomings in Medicare. Paying physicians fairly in Medicare is vitally important to the future of the program. Similarly, if there are specific extenders that are needed to preserve beneficiary access to care, they must be continued as well.
"Therefore, before the Super Committee uses Medicare for deficit reduction, they must address SGR reform and these extenders. Frankly, I’d stop after that with Medicare savings this year. Medicare providers contributed an awful lot to health reform, which I’ll not my Republican colleagues took great glee in pointing out last year, though now they suddenly want to cut Medicare further. We need to enact the ACA payment changes and delivery system reforms before we take more money out of the system. However, at a minimum, SGR and extenders need to be resolved before Medicare savings leave the program.
"I’d like to ask each of witnesses to address that proposition in their opening remarks if possible.
"With that, I yield back my time to Chairman Herger."
