Kilmer Votes to Approve Landmark, Bipartisan Bill to Ensure Medicare Patients’ Access to Doctors
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Derek Kilmer (D-WA) voted to approve a bipartisan agreement that ensures Medicare patients’ access to physicians, continues providing healthcare to low-income children, and extends a program key to rural communities on the Olympic Peninsula. The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (H.R. 2) was approved by a vote of 392-37. The legislation now moves to the Senate for consideration.
In 1997, Congress created the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula to determine the rate of payment to Medicare providers. Under the SGR, physician reimbursement rates for Medicare patients would have routinely been reduced and the potential cuts have been overridden 17 times since 2002. Today’s legislation would replace the SGR with stable payments to Medicare physicians and move the system toward rewarding quality care and away from unnecessary tests and procedures. The agreement also funds the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for another two years. CHIP provides insurance to nearly 8 million children across the country.
“Today the House showed that when Congress puts partisanship aside we can move our country forward,” said Kilmer. “I make sure to talk with members from across the aisle before I introduce a bill so we can work more effectively to get something done. I’m glad House leaders engaged in a give and take and brought legislation to the floor scrapping a harmful formula that left medical providers facing a cliff year after year. The bill we passed today will also strengthen Medicare for our seniors for years to come. In addition, this bipartisan agreement extends an important program that helps children who wouldn’t otherwise have healthcare receive it. While this isn’t a perfect bill, it shows that we can make some progress when we work together.”
As part of the deal, the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program will also receive an extension, with payments going to states for FY 2014 and 2015. Since national forest land cannot be taxed by counties or states, for more than 100 years the Forest Service has shared revenues from timber harvests on federal lands with the nearby communities. The program helps rural counties pay for infrastructure projects and supports local school districts.
“Rural counties in our region also received great news today,” continued Kilmer. “This agreement continues critical support for cities and towns near national forest lands so they can provide essential services to our kids and their families. The extension will allow projects like repairs on access roads and investments in local schools to move forward. I was proud to push House leadership to get this done.”
Washington state is typically among the top recipients of SRS funds. The program was previously extended through fiscal year 2013. During the last year that payments went out Clallam County received $866,081 Grays Harbor County received $369,996, Jefferson County received $877,496, and Mason County received $393,938. Across the nation SRS sends funds to more than 700 counties and 4,000 school districts.
Kilmer has been a leader in calling for the extension of SRS. Kilmer took to the House floor this January and called on his colleagues to support SRS. Last December, he sent a letter to House Speaker John Boehner and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi pointing out that the SRS program provides vital funding to communities facing declining revenue from timber sales on federal lands.
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