Tag Archives: medicaid

Join Families USA in urging Members on the Super Committee to reject any cuts to Medicaid as they consider how to reduce the nation’s deficit. Please feel free to use and share the toll-free number:  1-866-922-4970. The number will connect to the Capitol Switchboard.   Families USA Talking Points: Medicaid, Deficit Reduction and the “Super Committee”.  Also read NASW’s letter ... Read More »

Action Requested Email your targeted Senator today and urge they support critical extenders legislation, H.R. 4213. Target Senators: Bayh (IN), Brown (MA), Collins (ME), Menendez (NJ), Nelson (NE), Shaheen (NH), Snowe (ME) and Warner (VA).   Background Congress has struggled for weeks over a sprawling “extenders bill” caught between conflicting needs to reduce deficit spending and extend several key expiring ... Read More »

Political Climate With the health care debate now behind us, Capitol Hill and the Obama Administration have moved on to other things.  Issues of great significance include a pending Supreme Court nomination, fluctuating news on employment, and several Congressional primary races that will give shape to the November general election.  At this point in the year, many Members of Congress ... Read More »

Take Action Today! Action Requested Contact your Representative today about signing on as a cosponsor to H.R. 5040, the “HIT Extension for Behavioral Health Services Act.” Background Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) has introduced bi-partisan legislation along with Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA), a clinical psychologist, called the Health Information Technology Extension for Behavioral Health Services Act of 2010 (H.R. 5040). The ... Read More »

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)  is hosting another program in their webchat series on health insurance reform. Nancy-Ann DeParle, Director of the White House Office of Health Reform will join Secretary Kathleen Sebelius for a discussion on how the new Affordable Care Act will impact you.  Questions addressed will include information about Medicare Part D and the ... Read More »

March proved yet another tumultuous month for congressional consideration of legislation establishing Medicare payment rates. Physicians, clinical social workers and other health professionals that bill Medicare Part B independently face a scheduled rate cut of 21 percent on April 1. Fortunately, this week the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) delayed the scheduled formula payment cuts until after Congress ... Read More »

Last week Congress halted the so-called Medicare “physician fee cut” that set Part B payment rates for clinical social workers and all independent Medicare outpatient providers with passage of an extension of Medicare physician payments at last year’s level through March 31.  On Wednesday, March 10, the Senate passed a critical extension of these  provisions (H.R. 4213).  Eight Republicans voted ... Read More »

2009 Rates extended until March 31 Medicare Rate Remedy Makes Limited Progress Senate gridlock was halted just long enough this week to pass a brief extension of a highly troublesome Medicare provision that sets Part B payment rates for clinical social workers and all independent Medicare outpatient providers. The so-called Medicare “physician fee cut” for all Part B providers was ... Read More »

Within four weeks of taking office, Congress presented a “stimulus package” to President Obama, who signed it.  The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is now one year old.  About half of the money has been distributed, mostly to states, as well as to extend unemployment benefits, expand eligibility for Food Stamps, support Medicaid for states.  Independent economic analyses of ... Read More »

A new report by federal actuaries shows government programs will pay for more than half of all U.S. health care spending by 2012. The health care spending projection data can be found on the CMS web site at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/NationalHealthExpendData/03_NationalHealthAccountsProjected.asp Read More »