Sens. Wyden, Crapo release white paper on reforming how doctors are paid by Medicare

U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) released a white paper last week outlining a policy related to reform how physicians are paid by Medicare.

The white paper outlines several areas where there are opportunities for reform, including:

• Creating sustainable payment updates to ensure clinicians can own and operate their practices;
• Incentivizing alternative payment models that reward providing better care at a lower cost;
• Rethinking how Medicare measures quality care;
• Improving primary care;
• Supporting chronic care benefits in Medicare fee-for-service; and
• Ensuring continued access to telehealth.

“The way Medicare pays doctors for their work has not kept up with the times, and if it’s not working for doctors, it’s not working for the patients they help,” Wyden, chair of the Senate Finance Committee, said. “Today marks an important step towards bringing Medicare into the 21st century, especially by acknowledging that the treatment and management of chronic conditions should be at the center of the program today. It’s critical that Traditional Medicare keep up, and this effort to update and strengthen the program for the next generation of Americans will make that a reality.”

In April, the Finance Committee held a hearing to discuss how to approach updating the Medicare physician payment system. They also discussed how to ensure the treatment and management of chronic conditions is at the center of the Medicare program.

“The Finance Committee is committed to ensuring access to high-quality health care for the tens of millions of Americans currently enrolled in Medicare,” Crapo, ranking member on the committee, said. “This bipartisan white paper includes critical steps toward potential policy reforms to streamline clinician payment systems and treat the chronic diseases ailing far too many seniors across the country. I look forward to continuing the collaborative, constructive, bipartisan precedent we have set in developing health care solutions for Americans from all walks of life.”

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