Coleman Says Healthcare Provisions In Tax Extender Bill Vital To Rural Minnesota
COLEMAN SAYS HEALTHCARE PROVISIONS IN TAX EXTENDER BILL VITAL TO RURAL MINNESOTA
Recognizing the need to bolster our nation's healthcare providers, Senator Norm Coleman joined his colleagues in voting to pass the Tax Relief and Health Care Act by a vote of 79 to 9. The measure, which includes a wide-range of tax provisions, also contains language directed at more properly reimbursing healthcare providers and providing incentives to physicians who practice in rural areas. Having passed both the Senate and House, the bill will now head to the President's desk for his signature.
"Providing access to quality healthcare for all Minnesota and American families has always been a top priority for me," said Coleman. "This legislation cuts through the bureaucratic red tape to ensure that our nation's physicians are receiving the reimbursements and incentives they need to provide quality healthcare around the country--in urban, suburban and rural areas. This is one small part of working toward providing a superior healthcare system for our nation. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the coming year to institute even more aspects of healthcare policy that will help Minnesotans and all Americans."
The legislation passed last week:
Eliminates a 5 percent reduction in payments to physicians and starting July 2007 will offer a 1.5 percent increase to physicians who submit data on quality-of-care measures;
Caps state taxes on Medicaid providers at 5.5 percent from Jan. 1, 2008, through fiscal 2011;
Extends several expiring provisions to offer doctors in rural areas stable reimbursement rates, as well as extend stable rates for lab and pathology services in those areas;
Reimburses health care providers for administering vaccines covered under the Part D Medicare benefit;
Creates voluntary quality reporting for outpatient centers and ambulatory surgery centers by 2009.
Coleman has consistently been a champion for rural healthcare initiatives. He has introduced the Critical Access to Health Information Technology Act, which gives rural hospitals a competitive edge for Health Information Technology grants. Coleman has also introduced the Remote Monitoring Access Act, which will allow Medicare to cover physician services involved with the remote management of specific medical conditions, and the Rural Health Services Preservation Act, which will ensure that Critical Access Hospitals get reimbursed the same amount under Medicare Advantage Programs as they would under Medicare.
http://coleman.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=1178&Month=12&Year=2006
Source