Congress and Medicare

To my surprise I received a letter from my Congressman informing me about what Congress is doing to reform Medicare and health care in the country. Although I do not remember ever asking my Congressman about what is being done to save Medicare (I'm eligible in eight years - if the law doesn't change) I did find his information interesting. His letter follows my comments.



Finally the Congress is considering allowing Medicare to buy prescription drugs at bulk rate, just like the VA. Why wasn't that one of the first things Medicare was authorized to do as a dollar savings for the American tax payer and senior citizens? Seems to me that once again Congress is a little slow getting on the ball.



Congress is also considering the use of technology for better record keeping purposes. Once again, its a win win, so why consider when they can enact the measure immediately? I think it would be great if they could accurately track the doctors and clinics that have been ripping off Medicare/American taxpayer for years. Hopefully this would lead to the prosecution of violators and result in even more savings.



He goes on to talk about problems in Maryland related to the fact that there are not enough health care specialists. I am in favor of the government assisting with tuition for medical students - be they doctors, nurses or specialists. However, I think there needs to be strict enforcement of the terms of the contract for these students once they receive their degree and/or certification. In the past I have seen reports of students who had their full tuition to med-school paid by the Federal government with the understanding that they would serve for a period of time - three to four years - in an area of the country needing medical assistance - Indian reservations, parts of Appalachia, the Ozarks, etc,. If the student ops out then they have to reimburse the entire tuition. What upset me was to see the numbers who refused to honor their contract and attempted not to pay back our tax payer money. There have to guarantees that these people will be punished before I would agree to any money Federal money be spent.



There is no doubt that the health care system in this country is messed up and needs to reorganized. Fees have to fair, allowing patients the ability to pay them and doctors to make a decent (not flamboyant) living. There is also the whole matter of prescription drugs that have to be regulate so that there is an end to the exorbitant profits the pharmaceutical companies make.



How can the Federal government make health care better for all of us?



Read what Dutch has to say then let us know your thoughts. And not just us, let your representative know what you think they should be doing to make health affordable and available for all us.



Its Common Sense!



Dear Mr. Wolfe:
Knowing of your interest in the work of Congress, I wanted to provide you with a brief update on what Congress is doing to address the rising cost of health care to help all Americans.
The rapid inflation of health care costs affects all of us, and the spiraling cost of health care is risking the future of Medicare. Here is the problem we are facing: all Marylanders are facing a critical shortage in primary health care professionals, double-digit percent increases in health care costs, and health plans that are covering less and less. For example, if you are a senior citizen, the cost of prescription drugs is often a difficult choice between paying for the prescriptions you need versus paying your rent or buying food. In these unsure economic times, Congress must work to make sure there is access to quality and affordable health care.
Unfortunately, there is no one single solution to the health care crisis, and we cannot rely on just a tax credit or expanded insurance coverage. Here are some solutions that Congress is working on to address our systemic health care problems.
First, Congress must allow Medicare to purchase drugs at a bulk rate and pass those savings onto the patients, as the Department of Veterans Affairs does. Using the purchasing power of Medicare’s 44 million participants should immediately reduce the cost of the most popular life-saving drugs. When 75 million baby-boomers begin to retire, we will begin to see tremendous savings.
Second, Congress is considering legislation to increase the use of technology, especially electronic patient records, in the delivery of care. Technology will reduce costly medical errors, which directly contribute to the double-digit increases in the cost of health care for all Americans.
Third, Congress worked with patient advocacy groups and a coalition of doctors to stop dramatic cuts to Medicare and Medicaid proposed by the Bush Administration. The proposed cuts would have limited access to doctors and would have reduced the level of service for patients. Medicare is crucial to the delivery of health care to our seniors, and it must remain strong for our seniors and the next generation of Americans entering the program. I was proud to support Congressional action that prevented these cuts to Medicare.
Fourth, we are providing insurance to uninsured children. This expansion of health care coverage is necessary to teach young Americans about healthy living by focusing on preventative care. Hopefully, we will create a generation of Americans who focus on treating their health issues early. Preventative care will help save our country millions in health care cost in the long term.
Lastly, Maryland is experiencing real shortages of primary care health professionals. The number of primary care doctors in the state is at a critical level; we have 16% fewer primary care doctors than the national average, and 10% of the primary care physicians we do have are reaching retirement age. Maryland also faces a projected nurse shortage of over 15,000 nurses in the next 5 years. Without these medical professionals, access to care, and the quality of that care, will be severely diminished. In Congress, I have worked tirelessly to increase federal support for nursing schools and have voted in favor of student loan programs that assist students attending graduate or professional schools, in addition to college students. The recent economic rescue package will also help banks continue to make student loans at affordable rates, helping future medical professionals pay for their educations and work in these critical fields.
In the next Congress, I hope that we can work to make high quality health care accessible and affordable. In these tough economic times, reducing health care costs is a critical step in helping Americans make ends meet.
Sincerely,
C.A. Dutch RuppersbergerMember of Congress