[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 85 (Tuesday, June 9, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1347]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  MEDICARE TRANSITION CARE ACT OF 2009

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 9, 2009

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, today I am proud to introduce the 
Medicare Transition Care Act of 2009.
  When people leave the hospital after an operation or illness, they 
are often overwhelmed by a complicated and risky road to recovery. 
Patients frequently report difficulty remembering clinical 
instructions, confusion over medications, and, in cases where multiple 
providers are involved, often get conflicting instructions from 
different providers. Providing a transitional care benefit within 
Medicare will help coordinate care, develop a care plan for patients 
and their caregivers, identify potential health risks, and prevent 
unnecessary hospitalizations.
  This bipartisan legislation gets to the heart of improving quality 
while reducing costs. A study published in April 2009 in the New 
England Journal of Medicine found that almost one-third of Medicare 
beneficiaries studied who were discharged from a hospital were re-
hospitalized within 90 days. Additionally, one-half of the individuals 
re-hospitalized had not visited a physician since their discharge, 
indicating a lack of follow-up care. The study estimated that Medicare 
spent $17.4 billion in 2004 on unplanned re-hospitalizations.
  The Medicare Transition Care Act will directly address continuity of 
care problems by increasing support to patients as they move from the 
hospital to their new care setting and ensuring that appropriate 
follow-up care is provided during this vulnerable period. The benefit 
would be phased-in, initially targeting just the most at-risk 
individuals by providing evidence-based transitional care services 
tailored to their specific needs.
  I am proud to partner with Congressman Boustany, a cardiothoracic 
surgeon, on this commonsense legislation that will improve the quality 
and efficiency of our health care system.

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