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First Congressional District of New Mexico
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ask.heather@mail.house.gov

In Washington DC
442 Cannon House
Office Building
Washington, DC
20515
202-225-6316 Phone
202-225-4975 Fax
In Albuquerque
20 First Plaza NW
Suite 603
Albuquerque, NM
87102
505-346-6781 Phone
505-346-6723 Fax

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Congresswoman Heather Wilson, First Congressional District of New Mexico


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Wilson Introduces Comprehensive Bill To Fix Medicare In New Mexico July 28, 2000
 
The legislation also addresses other pressing health care issues in New Mexico
Washington, DC – Congresswoman Heather Wilson today introduced a comprehensive bill to provide relief for New Mexico seniors enrolled in Medicare. The bipartisan Fair Care for Seniors and Children Act, cosponsored by Rep. Bill Luther (D-MN), Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), Rep. Darlene Hooley (D-OR), Rep. Martin Sabo (D-MN), and Rep. David Minge (D-MN) addresses federal payments to healthcare providers across New Mexico and health insurance for low-income children. “New Mexico is being discriminated against by the federal Medicare program. We need some immediate relief,” said Wilson. “With more than 40,000 seniors in New Mexico choosing Medicare HMO’s for their health care it is imperative that we correct the unfairness in the system that is threatening to drive HMOs out of the state. Now that we’re enjoying record surpluses, it’s time to increase funding levels to more appropriate levels.” The bill is a comprehensive response to a variety of health care providers in New Mexico and the State’s children’s health insurance program. Specifically, the bill would: * Address reimbursement inequities and instability in the Medicare Choice program by: * Establishing a new Minimum Payment Floor of $525 a month per beneficiary in 2001 for all counties in Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA’s) with populations exceeding 250,000; * Increasing the Payment Floor for Rural Areas by raising the minimum payment floor for all other counties from the current $415 to $475 in 2001; * Increase the rate at which Medicare Choice reimbursement rates are allowed to grow from year to year; * Eliminate a requirement that reimbursements must be “budget neutral,” a result of federal attempts to balance the budget; * Provide incentives for Medicare Choice providers to enter areas with only one or no providers currently; and * Changes federal law to permit Medicare Choice plans that announced their withdrawal in July 2000 to return to New Mexico in 2001. * Correct the Hospital Wage Index to benefit low-cost regions, by ending current blanket percentage (71 percent) of all hospitals’ costs, in favor of requiring the wage adjustment be made only to each individual hospital’s actual labor costs; * Eliminate a mandatory 15% reduction in reimbursements to home health service providers; * Expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program to cover more of New Mexico’s low-income children and add flexibility to the program; and * Improve federal reimbursements to rural health clinics. "New Mexicans get their healthcare from a variety of providers. Reduced federal reimbursements for Medicare and Medicaid dependent citizens has significantly impacted these providers ability to provide quality healthcare to the state’s most needy,” said Wilson. “Coupled with federal restrictions in the SCHIP program (which handicaps New Mexico’s ability to offer health insurance to the state’s poorest children), these budget-deficit era policies are contributing to New Mexico’s healthcare crisis.” “Now that we’ve balanced the budget and are collecting record surpluses, it’s time to re-evaluate the old policies. The federal budget is estimated to run more than a $2 trillion surplus over the next 10 years. It’s time to address Medicare.” ###
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