June 2002 • Volume 8 • Number 6 |
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The night before they tackled Capitol Hill (see story on page 1), family practice lobbyists got a serving of political analysis with their dinner, courtesy of Robert Laszewski, president of Health Policy and Strategy Associates.
The news was sobering. "There is little consensus in Congress on any health care issues," Laszewski told the group. "Until the government has a decided tilt toward Democrat or Republican, look for the key health issues to go unresolved."
Laszewski detailed several opinion splits in Congress. "In the 2002 elections, 25 percent of the voters are going to be seniors," he said. "They're screaming for prescription drug coverage, and the AARP has called for $750 billion over 10 years for a seniors' drug plan."
He also said, "When members of Congress went home for the Easter recess, they got an earful from physicians about the 5.4 percent cut in Medicare reimbursement."
Then he warned, "We have a budget deficit. There may not be money for prescription drug coverage and provider reimbursement. It may be you versus the AARP."
Laszewski also mentioned the 8 percent rise in health care costs last year and said employees would have to cover more health care costs out of pocket. He told the FPs, "You guys are the out-of-pocket guys. The patient sees you first and hasn't yet hit the deductible of $1,000. The subspecialist is the lucky one."
Painting a fairly grim financial picture, Laszewski advised, "Develop programs to more efficiently manage episodes of care for those few who cost the health system the most."
FP Report is published by the
AAFP News Department.
Copyright © 2002 by
American Academy of Family Physicians.