East Idaho Times

U.S. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Chair Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) have released a white paper detailing policy concepts for reforming the Medicare physician payment system and addressing the needs of those with chronic illnesses.

"The Finance Committee is committed to ensuring access to high-quality health care for the tens of millions of Americans currently enrolled in Medicare," Crapo stated. "This bipartisan white paper includes critical steps toward potential policy reforms to streamline clinician payment systems and treat the chronic diseases ailing far too many seniors across the country. I look forward to continuing the collaborative, constructive, bipartisan precedent we have set in developing health care solutions for Americans from all walks of life."

Wyden added, "The way Medicare pays doctors for their work has not kept up with the times, and if it’s not working for doctors, it’s not working for the patients they help. Today marks an important step towards bringing Medicare into the 21st century, especially by acknowledging that the treatment and management of chronic conditions should be at the center of the program today. It’s critical that Traditional Medicare keep up, and this effort to update and strengthen the program for the next generation of Americans will make that a reality."

The white paper identifies several areas where reform could be beneficial, including creating sustainable payment updates to ensure clinicians can own and operate their practices; incentivizing alternative payment models that reward providing better care at a lower cost; rethinking how Medicare measures quality care; improving primary care; supporting chronic care benefits in Medicare fee-for-service; and ensuring continued access to telehealth.

Last month, the Finance Committee held a hearing discussing how to approach updating the Medicare physician payment system and how to ensure treatment and management of chronic conditions are central to the Medicare program.

The full white paper is available online.