[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 205 (Wednesday, December 13, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1219]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     INTRODUCTION OF THE IDEAL ACT

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                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 13, 2023

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to introduce the 
Incentivizing Dual-Eligible Alignment (IDEAL) Act.
  This legislation seeks to better coordinate and improve care for dual 
beneficiaries enrolled in integrated special needs plans (D-SNPs). 
Highly integrated D-SNPs (HIDE SNPs) and Fully Integrated D-SNPs (FIDE 
SNPs) already manage dual beneficiaries' Medicare and Medicaid 
benefits, and this legislation will improve their ability to deliver 
needed services.
  First, this legislation creates a pilot program to give Safety Net 
Health Plan HIDE and FIDE SNPs a rebate to provide services related to 
social determinants of health. We all know that a person's health is 
affected by far more than what happens in a doctor's office. If plans 
can deliver services like meals for people with chronic conditions, 
rental assistance, and pest eradication, they can address all the 
factors that contribute to the health of their beneficiaries. This 
five-year pilot can help inform future policy decisions as Congress 
weighs how to better improve outcomes. Second, this legislation 
provides regulatory flexibility to states to align administrative 
processes between Medicare Advantage and a state's Medicaid plan, 
allowing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and states to 
determine better ways to coordinate care for HIDE and FIDE SNP 
enrollees.
  Fundamentally, the way we approach our health care system needs to 
change. The United States spends nearly one-fifth of GDP on health care 
and more per person than other economically comparable countries yet 
has lower life expectancy. I'm grateful for organizations like Care 
Oregon that provide care to my constituents and try to challenge the 
status quo. The federal government must be a partner in delivering care 
in better, innovative ways, and I believe the policies proposed here 
can be a part of that.

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