Langevin Statement on Sustainable Growth Rate Reform

Statement

Congressman Langevin submitted the following statement for the record on the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, which passed the House today 392-37.

Congressman James R. Langevin
Statement on H.R. 2, Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015
March 26, 2015

Mister Speaker, I rise today in support of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act, which repeals once and for all the flawed Medicare physician reimbursement formula, known as the SGR, and replaces it with a payment system based on quality of care, value and accountability.

Since 2003, Congress has spent nearly $170 billion on short-term patches to temporarily avoid cuts under the SGR. This bipartisan, bicameral agreement will finally stabilize payments for medical providers and remove the persistent threat of rate cuts that have jeopardized access to care for our seniors.

Also contained in this legislation is a crucial two-year extension of the Children's Health Insurance Program. Although I would have preferred to see CHIP extended for four years, this measure allows us to take immediate action instead of waiting until the program expires in September, providing certainty to states like Rhode Island that are preparing their budgets for next year, while ensuring that over eight million children continue receiving the health coverage they need at increased funding levels set forth under the Affordable Care Act.

I am also pleased to see the inclusion of over $7 billion for community health centers that provide front line care to millions of families across the country, as well as $620 million for the National Health Service Corps and $120 million for Teaching Health Centers.

Of course, this legislation is not perfect. It includes provisions I do not support, such as reforms to Medigap deductibles for new Medicare beneficiaries beginning in 2020. However, this measure seeks to protect our most vulnerable citizens by permanently extending the Qualifying Individual (QI) program that helps low-income seniors pay their Medicare Part B premiums, and the Transitional Medical Assistance (TMA) program that assists families on Medicaid maintain their coverage for one year as they transition from welfare to work.

Mister Speaker, this legislation will end the decade-long cycle of annual SGR patches, restore certainty to Medicare providers, and extend vital health care programs our constituents depend on. I am pleased that members on both sides of the aisle have come together to address this issue, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and provide continued health security for our seniors, children and families.

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