[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 92 (Thursday, June 26, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S6557]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               BALANCED BUDGET RECONCILIATION ACT OF 1997

 Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I wish to explain my vote against 
waiving the Budget Act on the point of order raised by Senator 
Rockefeller yesterday concerning the provisions in S. 947 on balance 
billing in the Medicare Program.
  The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 includes a new Medicare Choice 
Program, allowing Medicare beneficiaries for the first time to choose 
from a wide range of options for receiving their Medicare coverage, 
including traditional fee-for-service plans, private fee-for-service 
plans, provider sponsored organizations, medical savings accounts, 
health maintenance organizations, and preferred provider organizations.
  Within the context of Medicare Choice, there is an issue as to 
whether current law Medicare balance billing requirements should apply 
across the board. Under the Medicare Program, balance billing refers to 
the arrangement in which the Federal Government pays doctors at a given 
rate for treating a patient and doctors can charge up to a specific 
percentage above that amount.
  This legislation exempts from balance billing requirements the new 
private fee-for-service plans and medical savings accounts. If the 
Rockefeller point of order were sustained and the exemptions 
eliminated, doctors would be less likely to participate in the Medicare 
Choice Program's fee-for-service or medical savings account options 
because balance billing would cap their charges. As a result, seniors 
would have fewer options for medical care under this new program. I 
would note that under this legislation, no senior citizen would be 
required to choose any specific option, and each person can analyze all 
of the options to determine which best suits his or her individual 
health care needs. Further, balance billing will still remain in effect 
for the other options under Medicare Choice. Accordingly, in order to 
maximize choices for Medicare beneficiaries, I supported the motion to 
waive the Budget Act to overcome the Rockefeller point of 
order.

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