APA Urges House Members to Back Permanent SGR Action through "Supercommittee"
This week APA reaffirmed the critical importance of fixing the flawed Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) reimbursement formula and asked members of the House of Representatives to sign their names to a "Dear Colleague" letter circulating the House that urges the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (the "Supercommittee") to meaningfully address SGR this Fall. As you know, the supercommittee is charged with developing at least $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction before the end of this year. The "Dear Colleague" letter is being quarterbacked by Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-PA), and reminds members of Congress that the failure to take advantage of the supercommittee opportunity and permanently address SGR would result in the cost of a remedy doubling in five years to almost $600 billion. The APA letter was signed by C.E.O. and Medical Director James H. Scully Jr., M.D.
To view Dr. Scully's letter, click here
To view Representative Schwartz' dear colleague sign-on letter, click here |
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Probable Review of the Affordable Care Act by Supreme Court Before Election
The Obama administration has asked that the Supreme Court review a decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in Atlanta, which has ruled that Congress has exceeded its power in passing the Affordable Care Act. A Justice Department official stated that there is still much to do on the Act and that a final decsion by the court was needed. In June, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit of Cincinnati up-held the health care law in a separate case, and in September the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in Richmond, turned down a challenge to the law by the Commonwealth of Virginia. The appeals court decsion has raised questions about the law as a whole, one being whether or not the law can survive if the individual mandate is deemed unconstitutional.
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Senate, House Advance Competing Plans for FY 2012
While the "Supercommittee" is focused on cuts in federal spending for 2013 to 2020, the Senate and House Appropriations Committees are focusing on FY2012 which begins on October 1st. In an effort to avert a shut-down while the House and Senate work out their differences regarding spending levels, a Continuing Resolution or CR agreement is in effect until early November. Meanwhile, the differences to be reconciled or "conferenced" for FY 2012 are drastic.
As reported earlier, the Senate Appropriations Committee met last week and barely passed its Labor, Health and Human Services measure 16-14 along party lines. The House Appropriations Committee released the Chairman's draft of the Labor, Health and Human Services bill foregoing any debate and amendment on the draft by circumventing the "mark-up" process. The House draft would reduce SAMHSA funding by $283 million and include significant cuts to the Center for Mental Health Services' programs of regional and national significance. It would level-fund the Community Mental Health Block Grant, include $2.16 billion for the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment ($34 million less than the Senate version), and $118.9 million for the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention ($67.4 million less than the Senate version). The Senate version cuts NIH by $283 million while House level-funds it at $31.7 billion. The FY2012 conference process between the House and Senate will be difficult. As the process moves forward, we will keep you updated.
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