[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 132 (Wednesday, November 17, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S11430]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. WYDEN:
  S. 2988. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to 
provide medicare beneficiaries with access to information concerning 
the quality of care provided by skilled nursing facilities and to 
provide incentives to skilled nursing facilities to improve the quality 
of care provided by those facilities by linking the amount of payment 
under the medicare program to quality reporting and performance 
requirements, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Finance.
  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I rise to discuss a bill I am introducing 
today, the Long Term Care Quality and Consumer Information Act.
  I hope that this bill will spark a serious debate about how we pay 
for quality care. This proposal establishes a voluntary system under 
which nursing homes providing better quality of care would receive 
higher payment and in turn would provide more information about the 
quality of care provided. Information would include nurse staffing 
ratios and would be made public to consumers and their families.
  Historically, Americans have been paying the same for quality health 
care as for mediocre care. Efforts have been made by some in the 
private sector to better recognize and incentivize those providers who 
consistently provide higher level of care. The Institute of Medicine 
(IOM), in its report ``Leading by Example,'' declared the government 
should take the lead in improving health care by giving financial 
rewards to hospitals and doctors who improve care for beneficiaries in 
six Federal programs, including Medicare and Medicaid and the Veterans 
Health Administration. The IOM report also said the government should 
collect and make available to the public data comparing the quality of 
care among providers. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 
has begun pilot programs. I think nursing homes should also be an area 
in which we explore payment policies that regard those providing a 
higher quality of care.
  I look forward to continuing the discussion with all stakeholders 
about these concepts so we can assure a high level of care and find 
ways to help providers improve the level of care they provide.
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