Please read the letter I recieved from Michigan's State Senator Carl Levin on the above cuts for Medicare Cancer Patients. Jean Payton ---- Original Message ----- From: "Senator3" <Senator3@levin.senate.gov> To: "jeanpayton" <jeanpayton@ameritech.net> Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2000 12:53 PM Subject: Re:Medicare cutbacks for Cancer Patients. > Dear Friend: > > > Thank you for contacting me on behalf of Michigan's health care providers. > Remembering your interest in Medicare and Medicaid reform and the Balanced > Budget Act of 1997 (BBA97, P.L.105-33), I thought you would appreciate an update > on this important matter. I support providing additional relief to health care > providers. > > Hospitals and health systems have been under financial strain since 1997 due > to the cuts imposed by BBA97, that were estimated to save $112 billion. The > Congressional Budget Office has reestimated those savings at $206 billion. It > is now clear that the BBA97 went further than Congress intended. I firmly > believe that we cannot ask our providers to continue to absorb these Medicare > cuts if they are to provide quality health care to beneficiaries. > > On November 29, 1999, the President signed into law the Balanced Budget > Refinement Act of 1999 (BBRA, P.L.106-113). This legislation, which I > supported, included several provisions designed to provide some relief from > BBA97. The act increases payments to all hospitals as health care providers > make the transition to the new prospective payment system (PPS). It will also > allow skilled nursing facilities to receive a 20% reimbursement increase for 15 > payment categories beginning in April 2000, and all payment categories will be > increased by 4% in FY2001 and FY2002. A two year moratorium on the $1500 cap > for outpatient rehabilitation therapy was also established by this law. > > On July 21, 2000, I cosigned a letter to the Senate Committee on Finance > urging additional Balanced Budget Act relief this year. Although the BBRA was > an important step forward, I continue to be deeply concerned that the relief is > not sufficient to maintain the availability of all the high-quality providers > who deliver health care to Medicare beneficiaries. A further installment of > relief is clearly needed this year, and Congress can clearly afford to provide > it. I appreciate you seeking my assistance on this matter. Should you have > additional questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office. > > Best wishes. > > Sincerely, > > Carl Levin >