Congress has just passed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, a bill that will continue to fund the government through March 23, 2018. It does not stop there, however: It also includes key Medicare provisions that will help seniors by providing better and more coordinated healthcare services. The bill will arrive on President Trump’s desk today and he is expected to sign it immediately.
The legislation improves home healthcare benefits and strengthens Medicare Advantage’s proven success by expanding supplemental benefits specifically for those with chronic conditions, increasing telemedicine benefits, and extending the value-based design model to all states.
NAHU has long supported value-based design initiatives in both the over- and under-65 healthcare markets. Allowing for new options and tools for Medicare beneficiaries and their doctors not only improves seniors’ healthcare, but also creates financial incentives that will bring down costs and increase consumer choices. Moving away from a payment system rooted primarily on the volume of healthcare services provided to a system based on the value of these services will improve the quality of medical care for seniors while spending less money to do so.
The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 is an important bipartisan step to strengthen and improve healthcare for seniors, especially those living with chronic or complex healthcare conditions. We are pleased that these measures were included in the Continuing Resolution, but there is still much to advocate for on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries as well as overall health insurance market stability.
Want to be part of our efforts? We urge you to register for NAHU’s 28th Annual Capitol Conference, “Shaping Healthcare’s Future through Advocacy,” which will take place February 26-28 in Washington, DC. We hope to see you there!