Medicare Reforms Continue

Medicare Reforms Continue
Feb 25, 2005

In late 2003, I voted with a bipartisan majority of my House colleagues to support the Medicare Modernization Act. The benefits of this sweeping reform legislation began being phased in last year and will continue to be instituted through next year.

The goal of the reforms are to provide seniors with a prescription drug benefit package that will help more Americans get the prescription drugs they need at a price they can afford. Additional reforms designed to modernize Medicare will preserve, protect, and strengthen the program. The entire impact of the reforms will phase in over several years.
The latest phase of Medicare reforms being implemented, will concentrate on "preventative services." Medicare will seek to close the "prevention gap" - the difference between the number of people who could take advantage of preventive services and those who actually do. Reducing this gap would improve the quality of life for many seniors, increase life expectancy and reduce health care costs incurred by seniors and Medicare.

Traditionally, Medicare's coverage has paid to treat costly health problems after they occur. Thanks to medical and technological advances it is possible to deal with some health issues by preventing them. When it is possible, it is often less expensive, and results in a better quality of life. The president expressed it well recently when he pointed out, "In the past Medicare would pay the $28,000 for ulcer surgery, but not the $500 a year for the prescription drugs that eliminated the cause of most ulcers." Keeping seniors healthy by preventing disease is the goal of the Medicare reforms that have been phased in this year.

For seniors entering Medicare Part B on or after January 1, 2005, Medicare will cover a one-time preventive physical exam within the first six months of coverage. The "Welcome to Medicare" exam includes an electrocardiogram, education and counseling about preventive services, including screening, shots, and referrals for other care as needed.
A number of additional preventative services are now covered by Medicare including:

Cardiovascular Screenings: This test checks cholesterol and other blood fat levels. Since heart disease is the leading cause of death, this test is important to help people learn if they have an increased risk of developing heart disease and how they can control their cholesterol levels through diet, exercise and if necessary, medication.

Diabetes Screenings: Those at risk include people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, a history of high blood sugar or other factors. This is a critically important test for those at risk because earlier detection increases the odds that the serious health consequences of this disease can be prevented or delayed.

Cancer Screenings: Including mammograms for women and prostate screenings for men.

For more information on the new Medicare preventative benefits and "Welcome to Medicare" physical exam, please call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or visit the Medicare website at www.medicare.gov .

The new preventative services are the latest reforms being phased in as part of the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003. This legislation offered the most sweeping reforms to Medicare since the program was introduced in 1965. The first step offered a discount card for prescription drugs and subsidies for seniors who needed help the most covering the costs of their prescription drugs. The next step concentrates on making Medicare more efficient by taking common step measures toward treating disease before it becomes debilitating and effecting seniors' quality of life.

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/oh03_turner/Medicare_Reform.html