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AMCNO president Dr. Anthony Bacevice was asked to present to more than 300 AARP members on the topic of “Health Reform – A Shared Responsibility.” Also included on the panel were representatives of the AARP, a representative from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and an AARP Ohio health reform issue specialist. Absent from the panel was a representative from the Ohio Business Roundtable, however, the viewpoint of the OBR was provided by other presenters.
Dr. Bacevice focused his remarks on areas of interest to the AMCNO and its members such as need to support initiative to replace the SFR formula and the manner in which physicians are currently reimbursed under the Medicare program. He also stressed the need to continue to look for alternatives to handling medical liability claims, noting that the current system is not fair and it is not cost effective. Dr. Bacevice spent a good deal of his time outlining how physician quality is currently measured and the AMCNO involvement in legislation in Ohio that would prevent insurers from ranking physicians solely on economic criteria designed to persuade a consumer to select one physician over another based upon claims data and costs. Dr. Bacevice also provided the group with comments regarding the current discussion around the development of electronic health records, the costs involved and the need for interoperability. He also touched on the issue of the medical home model and the AMCNO involvement in projects at the regional and state levels on these issues. Finally, Dr. Bacevice commented on the need for patients, inclusive of the Medicare population and AARP members to take an active role in their health care and focus on wellness and disease prevention, in particular by embracing healthy lifestyles and prevention initiatives when possible.
The SEIU representative noted that his organization would like to see health care reform that makes health care coverage affordable and attainable for everyone inclusive of fostering choice in the market with a public health are option. The union also stressed the need to address the issue of the costs involved in long term care.
AARP’s presentation focused on their health reform campaign which outlines six priorities – guaranteeing access to affordable coverage for Americans age 50-64; closing the Medicare Part D coverage gap; creating a Medicare transition benefit to help people return to their homes after a hospital stay and prevent readmissions; increase federal funding and eligibility for home and community based services through Medicaid so older Americans can remain at home and avoid costly hospitalizations; create a pathway for the approval of generic drugs to reduce the price of treatments; and improving the Medicare Savings Programs and the Part D Low Income Subsidy so more Americans can afford health care and prescription drugs.
Several questions fielded by the panel dealt with whether what kind of payment system might emerge at the federal level. All of the panelists agreed that something more than likely will happen on the issue of health reform in the near future noting that a public option may be included. AARP noted that everyone should keep in mind that there is a big difference between a single payor and universal health care. Dr. Bacevice commented that it will be very important that any plan that emerges retains the patient/physician relationship with the ability of the physician to continue to determine the appropriate care for their patient – rather than legislating how to practice medicine.
The AMCNO continues to monitor the debate at the federal level on health care reform while working on both the regional and state levels on this key issue.
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