[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6114]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              MEDICARE MARKET PRICING PROGRAM ACT OF 2013

  (Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, in the legislative 
process, effective communication can help bring attention to important 
issues and advance good policy. Unfortunately, all too often rhetoric 
doesn't match reality.
  Take, for example, Medicare's so-called competitive bidding program 
for durable medical equipment. The program was intended to reduce 
Medicare costs and ensure that beneficiaries have access to quality 
services. In practice, the system denies competition, which hurts small 
business providers, and worsens access to quality services, which harms 
seniors.
  In fact, despite the program's catchy title, more than 240 market 
auction experts and economists have warned that the Medicare bidding 
program harms competition and will ultimately hurt patients.
  Today I've joined in support of legislation, H.R. 1717, the Medicare 
Market Pricing Program Act of 2013, which would replace this program 
with one that's not just labeled competitive, but is competitive, and 
maintains beneficiary access to quality items and services.
  I encourage my colleagues to join in support of the Medicare Market 
Pricing Program Act of 2013.

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