Members of the Senate Finance Committee held closed-door talks to find ways to lower the cost of healthcare reform, which the Congressional Budget Office now estimates at $1.6 trillion, reports the New York Times. The influential Senate committee, now in the midst of drafting proposed reform legislation, is contemplating using “an automatic mechanism” to curtail the growth of Medicare, similar to one employed to close military bases. If a Medicare spending goal that “ensures continued sustainability and bends the Medicare cost curve” fails to be met, spending reductions would automatically take place.
The Finance Committee also discussed having the Medicare Payment Advisory Committee recommend to Congress Medicare savings strategies. “Congress would take an up-or-down vote on the recommendations, which could cut payments to hospitals, managed care plans and other health care providers,” says the Times. This strategy was questioned by Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), who reportedly stated, “More cuts to Medicare? Let’s not do that right now, please.”
The Senate committee is also debating a change in the proposed employer mandate to provide insurance to workers. A new option would require employers to pay “50 percent of the national average Medicaid costs for workers enrolled in Medicaid” or pay for private health insurance for low-earning employees, but not require companies to provide insurance for all their workers. After the discussions, Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), who chairs the Finance Committee, said, “There’s no doubt in my mind that we will have a bipartisan bill.”
Read the New York Times article.
