Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

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By Mr. Wyden (for himself and Mr. Smith):

S. 708. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide medicare beneficiaries with access to information concerning the quality of care provided by skilled nursing facilities and to provide incentives to skilled nursing facilities to improve the quality of care provided by those facilities by linking the amount of payment under the medicare program to quality reporting and performance requirements, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Finance.

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Mr. Wyden. Mr. President, I rise to discuss a bill I am introducing today, ``The Long Term Care Quality and Consumer Information Act''.

As we begin discussions on how to assure that we reward quality health care, I believe we need to include long term care as part of that discussion. Nursing homes sever some of the most vulnerable among us, and assuring quality of care is encouraged and rewarded is important. I hope that this bill will spark a serious debate about how we pay for quality care. This proposal establishes a voluntary system under which nursing homes providing better quality of care would receive higher payment and in turn would provide more information about the quality of care provided. Information would include nurse staffing ratios and would be made public to consumers and their families.

Historically, Americans have been paying the same for quality health care as for mediocre care. Efforts have been made by some in the private sector to better recognize and provide incentives for those providers who consistently provide a higher level of care. The Institute of Medicine in its report ``Leading by Example,'' declared the government should take the lead in improving health care by giving financial rewards to hospitals and doctors who improve care for beneficiaries in six Federal programs, including Medicare and Medicaid and the Veterans Health Administration. The IOM report also said the government should collect and make available to the public data comparing the quality of care among poviders. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has begun pilot programs. I think nursing homes should also be an area in which we explore payment policies that regard those providing a higher quality of care.

I look forward to continuing the discussion with all stakeholders about these concepts so we can assure a high level of care and find ways to help providers improve the level of care they provide.

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