INFO: Information Alert! Legislative Update on Medicare Priorities

Thank you all for responding to the initial Action Alert.

This is a To Be Continued story...
Merla

Dr. M. Arnold, PhD, RN Licensed Psychologist - Registered Nurse Psychological Services, Behavioral Health  Counseling, Consultation and Education Focused on the Needs of Older Adults Western Suffolk/Eastern Nassau Counties, LI, NY Long Term Care Settings (631) 271-9863  "It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom.  It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken  and the wisest might err." Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)  “It is better to know the patient who has the disease than it is to know the disease which the patient has.”  Hippocrates (460 BC - 377 BC)

Cook, Jeff wrote:

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APA Practice Organization Information Alert

 

 

Date:               November 20, 2009

 

To:                  SPTA and Division Federal Advocacy Coordinators

APAGS Coordinators

 

From:              Marilyn Richmond, J.D., Assistant Executive Director for Government Relations

American Psychological Association Practice Organization

 

Cc:                  Katherine Nordal, Ph.D., Executive Director for Professional Practice

SPTA Executive Directors

SPTA Directors of Professional Affairs

CAPP

 

Re:                  Legislative Update on Medicare Priorities

 

 

I am pleased to inform you that yesterday the House passed legislation to permanently replace the flawed Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula and prevent the 21.2% cut to Medicare provider payments from taking effect in 2010.  The Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act (H.R. 3961) would provide a 1% update for providers in 2010 followed by regular inflation-based adjustments in future years.  With the help of psychologists like you across the country, we were able to mobilize nearly 4,000 messages to members of the House in a very short period of time.  Great work!  The vote was 243-183.  You can see how your Representative voted at http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll909.xml. 

 

On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) unveiled the leadership’s comprehensive health care reform legislation, merging together the Finance Committee and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee versions.  The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act contains several key Medicare provisions halting the scheduled SGR cut, providing a 0.5% update in 2010 and extending our 5% psychotherapy payment restoration.  In order to reduce overall costs, the bill limited the duration of key Medicare provisions to one year, anticipating further action on Medicare again next year.  The full House previously approved a two-year restoration extension as part of the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) on November 7.

 

Your advocacy work, combined with direct lobbying by our team in Washington, has enabled the inclusion of the restoration extension in every piece of legislation along the way, in each key committee’s version as well as each chamber’s merged bill.  We will continue to work to ensure that the final Medicare provisions sent to the President, regardless of the legislative vehicle, provide the maximum reimbursement relief for practicing psychologists.  Thanks for your continuing efforts.

 

 

Jeff Cook

Director, Field and State Operations

APA Practice Organization

750 First Street, NE

Washington, DC  20002

(202) 336-5875 (Office)

(202) 336-5797 (Fax)

jcook@apa.org (Email)