[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 22 (Thursday, February 26, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S1692]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. MURRAY (for herself and Ms. Cantwell):
  S. 2135. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to 
improve the provision of items and services provided to Medicare 
beneficiaries residing in rural areas; to the Committee on Finance.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I rise today to again join my colleague, 
Senator Cantwell, in introducing the MediFair Act of 2004. My bill will 
restore fairness to the Medicare program and provide equity for health 
care providers participating in Medicare. Most importantly, it will 
open doors of care to more seniors and the disabled in my State.
  Today, unfair Medicare reimbursement rates are causing doctors to 
limit their care for Medicare beneficiaries. Throughout my State, 
seniors and the disabled are having a hard time finding a doctor who 
will accept new Medicare patients.
  Unfortunately, the recently-passed Medicare Prescription Drug, 
Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 further compromises health 
care in Washington State because it reduces Washington State's per 
beneficiary payments from 42nd to 45th nationwide. This reduction 
places health care providers in my State at an economic disadvantage 
and further limits access to health care in Washington State.
  My bill will reduce the regional inequities that have resulted in 
vastly different levels of care and access to care by ensuring that 
every State receives at least the national average of per-patient 
spending. This measure will encourage more doctors to accept Medicare 
patients and will also guarantee that seniors are not penalized when 
they choose to retire in the State of Washington.
  In addition to ensuring that no State receives less than the national 
average, my legislation will encourage healthy outcomes and efficient 
use of Medicare payments. The current Medicare system punishes health 
care providers who practice efficient healthcare and healthy outcomes. 
Physicians and hospitals in my State are proud of the pioneering role 
they have played in providing high quality, cost effective medicine. 
Unfortunately, they have been rewarded for their exceptional service by 
being paid a fraction of their actual costs.
  On the other hand, States that are inefficient and that over-utilize 
the system are rewarded with higher states of reimbursement. As we 
grapple with an ever-increasing budget deficit. We need to make sure 
that every dollar spent on Medicare is used as effectively as possible. 
I ask each and every one of my colleagues to join me in restoring 
fairness to the Medicare program and increasing access to health care 
for Medicare beneficiaries by supporting the MediFair Act.
  I want to acknowledge the lead sponsor of the MediFair bill in the 
House, Representative Adam Smith, as well as the other cosponsors, 
Representative Baird, Representative Dicks, Representative Inslee, 
Representative Larsen, and Representative McDermott.
  I have been working on addressing the issue of inequitable Medicare 
reimbursement policies for a number of years, and I am pleased that we 
have made inroads in addressing this issue. I especially appreciate the 
efforts by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to reward 
healthy outcomes, and I look forward to working with HHS in the future 
to meet these goals.
  Medicare should reward States like Washington that have a proven 
tradition of efficient and effective health care. Passing the MediFair 
Act will go a long way to improving health care access for seniors in 
States like Washington and ensuring that Federal health care dollars 
produce the best results possible for our patients.
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