Van Hollen Statement on the Ways and Means Committee Mark-Up of the American Affordable Health Choices Act
Hospice Reimbursement, Cost-Intensive Disease Study Included
Washington,
Jul 17, 2009 -
Today, Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Assistant to the Speaker, issued the following statement on the House Ways and Means Committee mark-up of the American Affordable Health Choices Act:
“Today, the Ways and Means Committee took the next step towards historic health reform and finished its mark-up of the American Affordable Health Choices Act. For far too long, the status quo has left us with a broken health care system. Congress and President Obama are working hard to finally make reform a reality, providing greater competition and choice, making health care more affordable, and controlling the astronomical costs of health care.
“I am also pleased that two provisions I authored were included in the bill that was reported today. The first, the Assessment of Medicare Cost-Intensive Diseases and Conditions, directs CMS to conduct an assessment of the diseases and conditions that are the most cost-intensive for the Medicare program. It also creates a fund that will conduct research on the prevention and treatment of the diseases and conditions that have been identified as the most cost-intensive to the Medicare program. Part of our effort to reform the health care system is to develop cures and treatments for those conditions and diseases that have a high cost, and this will go a long way in that endeavor.
“The second, the Extension of Hospice Regulation Moratorium, will ensure that hospice patients are not harmed by proposed cuts to hospice services. Millions of lives have been touched by this compassionate and caring approach to end of life care, and preventing the rate cut will allow hospices to continue their vital work.
“I am honored to have worked with my colleagues on the Ways and Means Committee to shape key provisions in this legislation. Today is the first step in a long process, and I look forward to improving this legislation and finding additional ways to cut the costs of health care for the American people.”
Congressman Chris Van Hollen
