Medicare Bill Gains Bipartisan SupportMedicare Bill Gains Bipartisan Support

Originally Published MDDI November 2001NEWS & ANALYSIS

November 1, 2001

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Originally Published MDDI November 2001

NEWS & ANALYSIS

Representatives Jim Ramstad (R-MN) and Karen Thurman (D-FL) have introduced the Medicare Innovation Responsiveness Act of 2001 (H.R. 2973) to reduce delays in making new medical technologies fully available to Medicare's 40 million beneficiaries.

Ramstad and Thurman also sponsored legislation (H.R. 4395) in the 106th Congress that made landmark changes in the way Medicare integrates new medical technologies. Provisions of this bill were incorporated into the Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000 that was signed into law in December 2000.

H.R. 2973 would create a Medicare Office of Technology and Innovation to improve accountability, openness, and coordination in making timely coverage, coding, and payment decisions. In addition to establishing specific decision deadlines, the bill would require improvements in the timeliness and adequacy of Medicare payment adjustments to account for advances in medical technology and procedures. The use of local codes by Medicare contractors would be preserved to help ensure that local contractors remain an avenue for timely patient access to new technologies.

The bill would also ensure that Medicare payment systems are updated at least annually to reflect changes in technology and expand the use of valid external data in making payment adjustments.

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