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WASHINGTON – First District Congressman Paul Ryan yesterday evening voted for legislation that addresses legitimate concerns raised by health care providers who for years have been struggling to interpret and comply with Medicare's overly complicated regulations and its endless paperwork requirements.  This bipartisan legislation – H.R. 3391, the Medicare Regulatory and Contracting Reform Act –passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 408-0.

"Doctors and their patients know firsthand the frustration of wading through the current Medicare bureaucracy to try and make sense of its complex web of regulations," Ryan said. "The more time doctors and nurses must spend making sure mountains of paperwork are in order, the less time they can devote to caring for patients. This legislation is a good step toward making the Medicare system more user-friendly, easier to understand, and more efficient."
 
This legislation requires a more consistent, decipherable and simplified regulatory process.  Among its specifics, the bill:

• Consolidates promulgation of regulations to once a month;
• Creates specific time frames for progression of new regulations from proposed to final rules;
• Requires additional comment period for portions of interim final and final regulations that do not represent a logical outgrowth from the proposed rule;
• Prohibits retroactive application of substantive changes;
• Establishes that a substantive change will not become effective until 30 days after the change is announced.

Furthermore, the legislation fosters a more collaborative relationship between the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) – the federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that runs Medicare programs – and health care providers.  In keeping with this, it takes sensible steps to educate health care providers and respond to their Medicare-related questions, such as requiring access to and prompt responses from contractors.

This legislation also contains provisions that will help beneficiaries better understand and navigate the Medicare program and its benefits.  For example, it requires CMS to use a central, toll-free number to allow beneficiaries to get answers to Medicare questions.  It also establishes a Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman and a separate Medicare Provider Ombudsman in order to help patients and providers with billing issues.

"We still need comprehensive Medicare reform to ensure that Wisconsin seniors have access to quality health care and a choice of coverage plans, but this legislation is a good start toward bringing common sense improvements to Medicare regulation and contracting," Ryan said.  "I urge the Senate to schedule a floor vote soon on this legislation."

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