Health Care

Representative Scott Peters Advances Toward a Healthy Future

Over the last two years in Congress, Scott Peters has maximized innovation to ensure quality health care at a lower cost. His actions have developed modern treatments through research, while protecting patients’ privacy, fixing the Affordable Care Act, and safeguarding the health of future generations, particularly military service members and veterans.

 

I. REDUCE COSTS AND SYSTEM INEFFICIENCIES

Scott introduced H.R. 3577, the Health Savings Through Technology Act, which examines the cost-savings that can be achieved by increasing the use of wireless health technologies, and develops a comprehensive strategy for integrating these technologies into federal health care programs.

Scott introduced H.R. 3507, the 21st Century Care for Military & Veterans Act, which would establish and expand the use of innovative telehealth services, including essential mental health monitoring, for military service members and veterans.

Scott introduced H.R. 2090, the Patient Choice Act, which would create a fast-track provisional approval process for pharmaceuticals that are determined to be adequately safe.

Scott supports changing the broken health care operations in the United States:

• Updating the old model of fee-for-service reimbursements to one that is outcomes focused
• Incentivizing hospital follow-up care to reduce readmission rates and promote healthy lifestyles
• Increase competitive bidding in lab testing and usage of cost-saving, generic medications

 

II. ENSURING ACCESS AND SECURING PATIENT SAFETY

Scott introduced H.R 5398, the Marriage and Family Therapist for Veterans Act, which provides broader access to therapists trained to address the needs of veterans and their families.

 

Scott Supports:

• H.R. 5051, the Protect Women’s Health from Corporate Interference Act of 2014, which, in response to the Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby decision, would protect a women’s access to birth control and their ability to make their own health care decisions.
• H.R. 4015, the SGR Repeal and Medicare Provider Payment Modernization Act of 2014, which repeals the broken Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR), preventing a 24 percent cut in the Medicare reimbursement rate, and replaces it with a more effective alternative to ensure seniors on Medicare can continue to see their current doctors.
• H.R. 3230, the Veterans’ Access to Care through Choice, Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014, which called for quick implementation of accountability and oversight measures to improve access to the necessary health care services veterans deserve.
• H.R. 1098, The Traumatic Brain Injury Reauthorization Act of 2014, and related appropriation bills H.R. 2397 and H.R. 4486, which funds treatment and awareness services to military service members, veterans, and their families regarding Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
• H.R. 297, the Children's Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2013, which provides incentives to increase the numbers of severely needed physicians
• H.R. 1919, the Safeguarding America’s Pharmaceuticals Act of 2013 and H.R. 3204, the Drug Quality and Security Act, both of which ensure the safety and security of medication ingredients.
• H.R. 1179, the Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act, a bipartisan effort to Protect Medicare, ensuring seniors and their families can be reimbursed by Medicare for skilled nursing services. 

Scott spoke on the House Floor and the front steps of the SCOTUS, against the Court’s Hobby Lobby decision, and in support of a woman’s right to keep health care decisions between her and her doctor.

 

III. INNOVATIVE TREATMENTS AND LIFESAVING RESEARCH

Scott supported funding for particularly harmful diseases:

• H.R. 729, the Medical Research Protection Act of 2013, which eliminates sequestrations ill effects on medical care and treatment research
• Alzheimer’s - H.R. 4870, Autism - H.R. 4631, Breast Cancer - H.R. 1960, Burn Victims - H.R. 4080, Child Health - H.R. 2019 and H.R. 225, Hepatitis - H.R. 3723, Multiple Sclerosis - H.R. 4870, Muscular Dystrophy - H.R. 594, Prostate Cancer - H.R. 2397

Scott led a letter to CMS urging that FDA-approved regenerative medicine technologies, used in the care of diabetics, be made exempt from a new “skin substitutes” payment bundle as articulated in the agency’s 2014 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule, and supportive funding.

 

IV. ELEVATING PATIENT ADVOCACY

Scott introduced two bills based on patients’ advocacy that aim to improve health outcomes.

• Scott introduced H.Res. 572, which recognizes National Mental Health No Stigma Week that helps fight against cultural stigmas that prevent patients from seeking treatment.
• Scott also introduced H.Res. 733, which recognizes Clinical Research Innovation Month - supporting the lifesaving research and patients’ involvement in clinical trials that leads to new treatments and medications to fight against the globe’s fiercest diseases.

 

V. FIXING THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

Scott Supports:

• H.R. 3350, the Keep Your Health Plan Act of 2013, which allows people to keep their previous health plans that would otherwise be cancelled because of the Affordable Care Act requirements.
• H.R. 2667, the Authority for Mandate Delay Act, which delays the requirement in the Affordable Care Act that businesses with 50 or more full-time employees provide health insurance to their workers or pay a penalty.
• H.R. 2575, The Save American Workers Act of 2014, which changes the definition of a full-time worker from one who works at least 30 hours to one who works at least 40 hours.
• H.R. 3425, the Health Care Access Fairness and Penalty Delay Act of 2013, H.R. 2668, the Fairness for American Families Act, and H.R. 4118, the SIMPLE Fairness Act, all of which delay the tax penalty attached to the ACA individual mandate that demands individuals purchase health insurance.
• H.J.Res, 59, the Continuing Appropriations Resolution of 2014, and cosponsored H.R 523, the Protect Medical Innovation Act of 2013, both of which were bipartisan efforts to repeal the medical device excise tax.

Scott coauthored a letter to then Secretary Sebelius to encourage the Department of Health and Human Services to prioritize resources to combat fraud in the Affordable Care Act health insurance exchanges.

Scott held thirteen workshops throughout the district for constituents to lean how the ACA benefits them and what he is doing to make it better.

 

V. HEALTHCARE CAUCUS MEMBERSHIP

Children’s Health Caucus, Diabetes Caucus, House Biomedical Research Caucus, Medical Technology Caucus, Neuroscience Caucus, Research and Development Caucus

 

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HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act)

For a quick visual overview of your rights surrounding your health care records, click here. Or visit the link below.

http://youtu.be/3-wV23_E4eQ

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