[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19390]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING DR. BRAD DREXLER, M.D.

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 2, 2015

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. 
Brad Drexler for his leadership, commitment and determination over a 
decade to update the Geographic Practice Cost Index (GPCI) system in 
California and abolish the flawed Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR).
  Medicare's GPCI system pays physicians based on the cost of providing 
care in their geographic region. However, since 1997, the Medicare 
geographic payment localities have not been updated, leading many 
Sonoma County physicians to be underpaid. This problem was exacerbated 
by concurrent flaws in the SGR.
  Since 2000, Dr. Drexler has been a tireless advocate for GPCI and SGR 
reforms. His proposed changes would update payment localities for 
physicians, and improve access to high-quality care for all Sonoma 
County residents. Dr. Drexler led a nationwide letter campaign, 
encouraging Congress to consider funding the proposed changes while 
writing articles to keep peers informed of his efforts. Those efforts 
ultimately paid off, as the geographic payment system has been updated 
and the SGR has been eliminated. Dr. Drexler was essential to that 
progress.
  Leading by example, Dr. Drexler has been active in the Sonoma County 
Medical Association (SCMA) and the California Medical Association (CMA) 
for 29 years. He has served as chair of the government relations 
committee, as a member of the board of directors at the SCMA, and as a 
delegate to the CMA. As a civic role model, philanthropist, political 
activist, and medical professional, Dr. Drexler's work has placed 
health care for all Sonoma County residents in safe hands.
  Mr. Speaker, it is appropriate at this time that we acknowledge Dr. 
Brad Drexler for his extraordinary work.

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