In Washington...
Power Shift...In the House of Representatives it appears that Rep. Nancy
Pelosi (D-California) is poised to assume the post of House Democratic replacing
Rep. Richard Gephardt, who stepped down following the November 5 election. Pelosi
would be the first female to serve as House Minority Leader. In the Senate, Republicans
regained control of key committees. Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire will assume
the chairmanship of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee formerly
chaired by Massachusetts Sen.Ted Kennedy. The Appropriations Committee will be
chaired by Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and the Budget Committee, which will have
a significant voice in the Medicare prescription plan, will be chaired by Sen.
Don Nickles (R-Oklahoma).
Sign the Pledge...The American Hospital Association (AHA) has launched
a “sign the pledge” campaign designed to get a majority of both
Houses to commit to provider relief before they adjourn. Partners HealthCare
is working to get the fully committed Massachusetts delegation to sign on. That’s
the easy part. Meanwhile, Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) recently expressed his optimism
about action during the lame duck session, but urged continual educational efforts.
The White House continues to oppose more than a fix in the physician and Medicare+Choice
payments. With Republicans back in control of the Senate as well as the House,
legislators will return in mid-November but aren't expected to get to work in
earnest until early December.
On Beacon Hill...
Uncompensated care pool Senator Travaglini to lead the Senate...
Sen. Robert “Trav” Travaglini (D-Boston) will likely serve as the
Massachusetts Senate’s next President, starting in January 2003. Hailing
from a district that includes MGH, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, and the
MGH-Revere Health Center, Sen. Travaglini has been a longtime advocate on issues
of concern to the entire health care community. Other leadership changes are
in the works.
UCP commission meets again...Members of the UCP special commission
met recently to discuss the future of the state’s free care pool. The
commission grappled with fundamental questions regarding the nature and scope
of health care services provided through the pool, as well as pool costs, management
and financing. The Massachusetts Health Policy Forum also released an issue
brief on the pool, and sponsored a discussion that included several commission
participants. The forum’s recommendations include: (1) preserving MassHealth
basic coverage slated to end on April 1, 2003; (2) broadening and increasing
the financing of the pool; (3) creating and expanding care management programs;
and (4) improving accountability and reporting of pool expenditures. The commission
hopes to complete its work by December 16, 2002. A copy of the brief may be
obtained at www.sihp.brandeis.edu/mhpf/pool_issue_brief.pdf.
Worth noting... In comments at a breakfast forum recently, House Speaker Tom
Finneran defended the legislature’s decision to curtail MassHealth benefits
and predicted a $2 billion hole in the upcoming FY 04 budget. Finneran noted
that the Medicaid program will need at least a 10 percent increase just to sustain
current commitments and that inadequate provider payments continue to be a serious
problem.