For Immediate Release
Contact: David Allen or Jordan McNerney
November 19, 2009
202-434-2560
AARP Statement on H.R. 3961, the
Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009
WASHINGTON —
AARP Senior
Vice President David Sloane released the following statement in
support of H.R. 3961, the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009:
“H.R. 3961 will make
certain that millions of Americans in Medicare will be able to keep
their access to and choice of physicians, and that’s why we
support it. We recognize that if the Congress acts, as it has
repeatedly in the past, on physician payment reform, then Part B
premiums may rise. But it’s important to consider the
changes proposed in H.R. 3961 together with proposed changes in H.R.
3962 that would improve efficiency in the Medicare program and
reduce beneficiary premiums. According to CBO, on net these
premium increases will account for less than 2 percent of Medicare
Part B premium collections over the next ten years.
“Absent Congressional
action, physicians will face a 21 percent reduction in reimbursement
rates next year and may stop taking Medicare patients, undermining
the ability of millions of Medicare beneficiaries to get the care
that they need and stay healthy.
“At the end of the day,
ensuring access to one’s doctor continues to be a high
priority for Medicare beneficiaries—and for AARP. We
believe that H.R. 3961 meets this goal by permanently fixing the
current flawed payment formula and replacing it with a new payment
system which protects access to physicians by paying them fairly and
better rewarding them for providing primary care and preventive services.”
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan
membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence,
choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to
them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates
for public office or make contributions to either political
campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, the
definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world's
largest-circulation magazine with over 35.5 million readers; AARP
Bulletin, the go-to news source for AARP's nearly 40 million members
and Americans 50+; AARP Segunda Juventud, the only bilingual U.S.
publication dedicated exclusively to the 50+ Hispanic community; and
our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated
charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older
persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors,
and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the
District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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