Provisions in the Senate health care bill which would make Medicare more sustainable by ensuring seniors access to high quality, affordable health care are being supported by the American Geriatrics Society — a nonprofit association of health care professionals.
"The Senate health reform bill would improve elder healthcare significantly by addressing growing, nationwide shortages of healthcare workers trained to meet seniors' unique needs," said Cheryl Phillips, president of AGS. "Provisions in the bill would expand coverage for older adults while lowering their out-of-pocket costs for preventive care and medications."
Righting the ship
The Senate's plan would address the dearth of eldercare workers by reforming Medicare payment policies to more equitably reimburse those who care for older adults. Surveys have repeatedly revealed that inequities in Medicare payment are a major disincentive to a career in eldercare.
Geriatricians, physicians with advanced training in the care of seniors, and other eldercare providers are in short supply nationwide. The bill addresses the deepening disparity in payments to geriatricians and eldercare providers by providing for a 10 percent bonus payment for designated Medicare services. It would also create a physician "value-based payment program" aimed at improving the quality of care received through Medicare.
The Senate bill also expands training and educational opportunities for health care providers who specialize in the care of older patients. It would establish a graduate medical education policy to allow unused training slots to be reallocated to increase the number of primary care providers who care for seniors.
Another provision of the bill involves the creation of an "Innovation Center" to test new payment and care delivery approaches. The legislation would allow Medicare to evaluate new modes of care, especially for patients with multiple chronic conditions. These patients account for a great deal of Medicare spending, and evidence suggests that patient outcomes may be improved while at the same time cutting costs.
Shrinking the gap
Further goals of the bill include eliminating co-pays and deductibles for preventive care, shrinking the coverage gap in Medicare's drug plan and lowering hospital readmission rates among Medicare patients. The Department of Health and Human Services would be asked to improve the quality of care provided to Medicare patients.
Said AGS's Nancy Lundebjerg: "These measures call for important steps toward higher quality, more accessible, more cost-effective care for seniors–today and in the future."
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