Congressional committees approve Balanced Budget relief
Congressional committees approve Balanced Budget relief
By MATTHEW HAY
HHBR Washington Correspondent
WASHINGTON The Senate Finance Committee last week approved a measure that would restore roughly $15 billion over 10 years to healthcare providers hit hard by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA). The measure includes about $1.5 billion in relief aimed at home care. It also includes several important regulatory measures, such as elimination of the 15-minute incremental billing requirement. The Finance bill now moves to the full Senate.
The House Ways and Means Health Subcommitte also passed its version of BBA relief last week. Unlike the Senate Finance bill, which would merely phase in the 15% across- the-board cut in home health reimbursement slated for Oct. 1, 2000, the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee bill would postpone any further cuts until the Secretary of Health and Human Services (Washington) determines if they are needed after the prospective payment system is implemented next year.
The Senate Finance Committee acted expeditiously on its measure, which was undergoing changes right up until the time the committee voted. The last-minute scramble reflected the intense battle among various healthcare provider groups to get a slice of the BBA relief. One committee member, Sen. Bob Graham (D-FL), offered an 11th-hour amendment that would have required offsets for the increased Medicare payments. Otherwise, he argued the new spending could advance the insolvency date for Medicare’s Part A trust fund by as much as a year. "It would be ironic if we were to end the session by reducing the solvency of the Part A trust fund," he argued. His amendment was defeated by a solid 14-5.
Graham also tried to push through an amendment that would have included several changes to Medicare’s fee-for-service program supported by the White House, including the expanded use of competitive bidding for durable medical equipment and other services. But by an overwhelming margin of 18-2, the committee voted down that amendment as well, instead opting to consider that measure and others as part of comprehensive Medicare reforms the committee is expected to take up next year.
Subscribe Now for Access
You have reached your article limit for the month. We hope you found our articles both enjoyable and insightful. For information on new subscriptions, product trials, alternative billing arrangements or group and site discounts please call 800-688-2421. We look forward to having you as a long-term member of the Relias Media community.