Rep. Jim Renacci (OH-16) today introduced H.R. 290, the Creating Access to Rehabilitation for Every Senior (CARES) Act, and H.R. 289, the Better Efficiency and Administrative Simplification Act, commonsense pieces of legislation that strengthen the Medicare program.
The CARES Act will reduce barriers to health care services for our nation’s seniors by eliminating the three-day inpatient hospital stay requirement for Medicare beneficiaries who are in need of skilled nursing facility (SNF) services.
“Beneficiaries in need of skilled nursing care are typically the most vulnerable of the Medicare population, and they should not be prevented from receiving timely critical rehabilitation services due to Washington red tape,” said Renacci. “The CARES Act will enhance access to quality care for our nation’s seniors by protecting the doctor-patient relationship and removing barriers to their health care.”
Seniors many times are unaware of their inpatient or outpatient status while in the hospital and, as a result, are often left on the hook for thousands of dollars in medical bills after their SNF stay. Eliminating the three-day stay requirement is not only supported by seniors, it is also supported by medical professionals throughout the country.
Rep. Marcia Fudge (OH-11), a cosponsor of the CARES Act, added, “Too often, seniors who need long-term skilled nursing care are denied coverage because they fail to qualify under an outdated Medicare rule that requires them to first spend three nights in a hospital as an admitted patient. The rule is neither cost-effective nor in a patient’s best interest. Further, decisions about long-term care are best left in the hands of patients, their families, and their physicians. The CARES Act is a sensible, bipartisan effort that will end the arbitrary three night policy and I’m pleased to support it since it will provide our seniors with greater access to quality health care.”
The Better Efficiency and Administrative Simplification Act reduces government waste, fraud and abuse. This legislation will allow Medicare beneficiaries to receive their Medicare Summary Notices by email instead of postal mail, potentially saving millions of dollars in annual postage and printing costs. According to Consumer Reports, electronic correspondences offer a variety of benefits for the environment and consumers including cost savings, reduced clutter, and convenience.
“Last year, John, a Medicare beneficiary from North Canton, contacted my office to call attention to an inefficiency in the way our government administers the Medicare program. He pointed out that he has the option to receive his bills, notices, and other paperwork electronically; Medicare should have a paperless option as well,” said Renacci. “I introduced the Better Efficiency and Administrative Simplification Act to fix that. Not only will providing beneficiaries with a paperless option save administrative costs in the Medicare program, thus saving taxpayer dollars, it will also help CMS combat waste, fraud and abuse – singling out fraudulent billers who are robbing the system, potentially resulting in even greater savings.”
The Better Efficiency and Administrative Simplification Act will give the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) the authority to allow beneficiaries to receive their Medicare Summary Notices more frequently and to expand the email option to other beneficiary documents. By increasing the frequency of these notices, beneficiaries are able to catch fraudulent billing right away, as opposed to months after the services have been received. The sooner beneficiaries can report incorrect billing, the sooner the government can stop the payments from going out.
“This bipartisan legislation enables Medicare beneficiaries the opportunity to take advantage of paperless billing, which is available virtually everywhere except Medicare,” said Rep. Bill Pascrell (NJ-08), lead cosponsor of the Better Efficiency and Administrative Simplification Act. “The government wastes a significant amount of money and resources printing and mailing statements that many beneficiaries would rather receive electronically. This simple fix is an important step in helping to reduce the administrative burden that is found in so many areas of our health care system. It also helps root out fraud by allowing beneficiaries to more quickly identify fraudulent billing.”
Renacci added, “As a former operator and manager of long-term care facilities in Northeast Ohio, I remain committed to finding bipartisan solutions that will strengthen the Medicare program and allow Ohio seniors to receive the treatment they need at the time they need it – without Washington standing in the way.”
Reps. Dave Joyce (OH-14), Bob Gibbs (OH-07), Mike Turner (OH-09), Marcia Fudge (OH-11), John Carney (DE), Reid Ribble (WI-08), Larry Bucshon (IN-08), Mike Kelly (PA-03), Richard Nugent (FL-11), Keith Rothfus (PA-12), Derek Kilmer (WA-06), and John Delaney (MD-06) are cosponsors of the CARES Act.