[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 123 (Wednesday, September 25, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1643]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1643]]
       INTRODUCTION OF SENIORS ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE ACT OF 2002

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DAVE WELDON

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 24, 2002

  Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing the 
Seniors Access to Health Care Act of 2002 in order to guarantee that 
senior citizens continue to have access to health care providers under 
the Medicare program. This bill includes most of the provisions of a 
bill (H.R. 4954) that was approved earlier this year to restore 
payments to health care providers, ensuring that they continue to see 
seniors.
  I am introducing this bill, today because the Senate has failed to 
approve legislation establishing a prescription drug plan for seniors 
and a restoration of payments to providers. I am fully committed to 
enacting a prescription drug plan for senior citizens, but given the 
failure of Democrat Majority Leader Tom Daschle to secure Senate 
passage of a prescription drug bill, I believe it would be doubly 
harmful to seniors if we allowed additional provider cuts to go into 
effect. It is for this reason that I believe it is important that we at 
least ensure that these additional cuts are averted. We should plug 
this hole while we continue to work together to address the need for a 
prescription drug plan for seniors.
  Last year physicians saw a 5 percent reduction in their reimbursement 
rates from Medicare. This year, without the changes proposed in my 
legislation, they will see another 5.7 percent reduction. This cut 
comes at a time when providers are facing an unprecedented rise in 
medical malpractice premiums, and a dramatic increase in the costs of 
health insurance premiums for their own employees. A second year of 
reductions in Medicare reimbursements will lead more providers to drop 
out of the Medicare program or to leave medical practice altogether. It 
is important for seniors that we not allow this to happen.
  The other significant change from the House-passed bill is the 
removal of the requirement for nationwide competitive bidding in 
durable medical equipment. I believe additional work needs to be done 
in this arena to fully understand its impacts on savings and quality of 
care.

                          ____________________