In a hearing on chronic care and Medicare physician payment, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) emphasized the need for modernizing federal rules and payments to ensure access to rural health care. Witnesses confirmed to Grassley the importance of improving reimbursement for physicians and other medical professionals in rural areas like Iowa.
Grassley highlighted the issue of medical professionals who are trained and licensed to provide certain services but are not currently reimbursed by Medicare. He expressed concern about poor access to health care services in rural areas, particularly in Iowa, where pharmacists, audiologists, and other medical professionals may not be reimbursed by Medicare. Grassley proposed modernizing federal rules to align with state licensing and training laws to improve health outcomes for patients with chronic conditions.
In addition, Grassley discussed the need to ensure fair reimbursement for physicians in rural states like Iowa who deliver health care services. He mentioned Congress’s establishment of the geographic practice cost index (GPCI) floor to ensure rural state physicians receive equitable reimbursement. However, Grassley questioned whether CMS is using up-to-date data to determine physician payment and proposed creating more geographic areas to account for variations within rural states.
Lastly, Grassley inquired about the effectiveness of Medicare Advantage in expanding and improving chronic care management services for seniors while reducing Medicare spending. He emphasized the importance of improving access to chronic care through alternative care models like Medicare Advantage.
Overall, Grassley’s concerns highlight the need for significant changes in Medicare policies that would make it easier for patients with chronic conditions to receive necessary healthcare services in rural areas like Iowa.
