Press Releases

Last week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee released an update to their legislative framework that would replace the current Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) system with a fair and stable system of physician payment in the Medicare program.  This announcement comes after a draft of the legislation was released at the end of June and is the next step in a transparent, bipartisan process to ensure our seniors are receiving quality, efficient care.

As a physician, Representative Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.) helped to shape components of the draft legislation, including the use of Medicare data in developing new models of care and improving the quality and patient care.

Rep. Bucshon released the following statement regarding the updated legislation to reform SGR:

“I applaud the work of Energy and Commerce Committee on another critical step forward in a transparent and bipartisan process to reform our broken Medicare physician payment system. The current system is not working and is unfair to seniors and their physicians. The reforms in the draft legislation are vital to ensuring seniors have access to predictable, quality care and that physicians are afforded necessary certainty. I look forward to continue open discussion on how we can improve this legislation.”  

BACKGROUND (Courtesy the Energy and Commerce Committee):

The draft legislation unveiled last week incorporates feedback received from a broad range of bipartisan lawmakers and over 80 stakeholder organizations, representing ideas of committee Republicans and Democrats. The policy would get rid of the SGR for an improved fee for service system in which providers report quality measures that will lead to better care in a more efficient manner. Better quality care will lead to better outcomes and put a greater emphasis on efficiency which can lead to cost savings. In addition, providers will have the option of leaving the fee for service system and opt instead for new ways of delivering care that put an even greater emphasis on quality and efficient care, particularly those that can mean more time with patients and more savings to the system.

The Subcommittee on Health has announced a markup for this week on the draft legislation, which is authored by Health Subcommittee Vice Chairman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Full Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI), Full Committee Ranking Member Henry A. Waxman (D-CA), Health Subcommittee Chairman Joe Pitts (R-PA), and Rep. John Dingell (D-MI).