Last year, the United States Senate couldn't even get an up or down floor vote on any of the key HMO reform proposals. Medicare reimbursement for HMOs, however, was significantly cut in the budget, and, citing these spending reductions, close to 100 plans have dropped out of Medicare. These plans serve approximately 500,000 older Americans. So now, in addition to a patient protection crisis, there is an access to health care crisis looming, because many of the plans dropping out are in communities with few, if any, health care alternatives. I believe Congress needs to move on this patient protection and access to health care challenge quickly.
Patients deserve meaningful protection.
And without action on the reimbursement issue, more plans will leave in May, the next deadline for reapplying to participate in Medicare. Then, even more Americans will be without ready access to care. Because of the seriousness of this problem, I have been consulting consumer representatives, health plans, senior Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill, and the White House, and believe that there is a practical way to address these problems comprehensively, and ensure that all Americans have both choice and quality in the health care that's available to them. It's time to create some new financial incentives for providing better care and protecting the rights of all patients in the American health care system. And requirements that assure physicians and other health care providers can advocate on patients' behalf with plan officials.