Letter to John Boehner, Speaker of the House, and Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader of the House - Reps. Flores, Maffei Lead Bipartisan Effort to Pass Long-Term Fix to Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate

Letter

By: Gene Green, Lois Frankel, Ron Barber, Judy Chu, Bill Enyart, Lois Capps, John Delaney, John Culberson, Michael Burgess, Jim Gerlach, Kevin Cramer, Phil Gingrey, Mike Rogers, Scott Peters, Pat Meehan, Steve Womack, Kurt Schrader, Ron Kind, Collin Peterson, Brad Schneider, Pete Visclosky, Raul Grijalva, Charles Boustany, Jr., Shelley Capito, Bruce Braley, Andy Barr, Dan Benishek, Mike Doyle, Jr., Elizabeth Esty, Tom Graves, Jr., Mike Fitzpatrick, Madeleine Bordallo, Susan Brooks, Filemon Vela, Jr., Mike Michaud, Ted Yoho, Tim Walz, Randy Hultgren, Lee Terry, Bill Johnson, Doc Hastings, Dave Loebsack, Kevin Yoder, Tim Huelskamp, Tim Walberg, John Shimkus, Reid Ribble, Cynthia Lummis, Joe Heck, Jr., Pete King, David Scott, Matt Salmon, Todd Rokita, Rick Crawford, Mark Amodei, Steve Cohen, Michael Coffman, Larry Bucshon, John Garamendi, Dan Maffei, Renee Ellmers, Tammy Duckworth, Lou Barletta, Charlie Dent, Trent Franks, Dina Titus, Michelle Lujan Grisham, Rush Holt, Jr., Carolyn Maloney, Dennis Ross, Jackie Speier, Bob Latta, Bill Owens, Doris Matsui, Dan Kildee, Donald Young, Tom Reed II, Luke Messer, Betty McCollum, Duncan Hunter, Denny Heck, David McKinley, Patrick McHenry, Jack Kingston, Don Payne, Jr., Dan Lipinski, Keith Ellison, Jim Bridenstine, Alan Grayson, Ted Deutch, Marcia Fudge, Mario Diaz-Balart, André Carson, Rodney Davis, Sanford Bishop, Jr., Sean Duffy, Brett Guthrie, Billy Long, Steven Horsford, John Mica, Tom Marino, Kristi Noem, Jim Himes, Albio Sires, Adam Kinzinger, Richard Hudson, Jr., Steve Stockman, Zoe Lofgren, Mark Takano, Phil Roe, Adam Schiff, Joe Wilson, Sr., Juan Vargas, Chris Stewart, Kyrsten Sinema, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Scott Rigell, Tom Latham, Doug Collins, Julia Brownley, Suzanne Bonamici, Scott DesJarlais, Tom Cole, Joe Courtney, Michele Bachmann, Paul Gosar, John Barrow, Stephen Fincher, Frank Lucas, Louise Slaughter, Mike Kelly, Jr., Mark Pocan, Ann Kirkpatrick, John Sarbanes, Robin Kelly, Cedric Richmond, Joe Pitts, Colleen Hanabusa, Mike Quigley, Annie Kuster, Rick Nolan, Marc Veasey, Ben Luján, Jr., Tom Petri, Ed Royce, Mick Mulvaney, Vicky Hartzler, Jeb Hensarling, Bill Flores, Bob Brady, Chris Gibson, Sam Farr, Michael Grimm, Steve Daines, Kay Granger, Mike Conaway, Tulsi Gabbard, John Carney, Jr., John Carter, Steve Chabot, Bill Foster, Tom Price, Chellie Pingree, Ted Poe, Keith Rothfus, Rubén Hinojosa, Sr., Mike Turner, Alan Nunnelee, Sean Maloney, David Price, Barbara Lee, Steve Israel, Ed Whitfield, Trey Radel, Randy Weber, Sr., Jerry McNerney, Austin Scott, Bill Pascrell, Jr., Raul Ruiz, Gwen Moore, Mike Honda, Peter Welch, Jim Costa, Ralph Hall, Cheri Bustos, Gus Bilirakis, Ami Bera, Marsha Blackburn, Henry Cuellar, Blake Farenthold, Cory Gardner, Bill Cassidy, Jeff Fortenberry, Vern Buchanan, George Holding, Mike Simpson, Brad Wenstrup, Pete Sessions, Jared Huffman, Jared Polis, Steve Scalise, Walter Jones, Jr., Beto O'Rourke, Richard Hanna, Eric Swalwell, Tom Rice, Patrick Murphy, Steve Pearce, Robert Pittenger, Andy Harris, Jackie Walorski, Eleanor Norton, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Bill Posey, John Yarmuth, Gerry Connolly, Mo Brooks, Joe Garcia, Yvette Clarke, Eliot Engel, Tony Cárdenas, Paul Broun, Louie Gohmert, Sam Graves, Tim Bishop, Suzan DelBene, Bob Goodlatte, Pedro Pierluisi, Carolyn McCarthy, Doug Lamborn, Tom Rooney, Mike Pompeo, Steven Palazzo, Dutch Ruppersberger, Rich Nugent, Brian Higgins, Michael McCaul, Gary Peters, Scott Tipton, Dave Joyce, Marlin Stutzman, Tim Murphy, Blaine Luetkemeyer, Derek Kilmer, Mike McIntyre, Frank Wolf, Bill Shuster, Lamar Smith, Leonard Lance, Grace Meng, Nick Rahall II, Gary Miller, Rob Woodall, Bobby Rush, Lynn Westmoreland, Alan Lowenthal, Jim Langevin, Rob Wittman, Jim Matheson
Date: Nov. 22, 2013
Location: Washington, DC

U.S. Representatives Bill Flores (R-Texas) and Dan Maffei (D-NY) today announced strong bipartisan support for their initiative to urge Congressional leaders to pass a long-term fix to the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula for physician payments.

"Our nation's physicians continue to face uncertainly as their Medicare reimbursement rates are being outpaced by the growth in health care costs. There is wide bipartisan support to fix the Sustainable Growth Rate formula," Rep. Flores said. "It is time Congress work to enact reforms and permanently replace the flawed formula with a system that rewards quality, helps control costs and provides fair compensation for doctors."

"Repealing the broken Sustainable Growth Rate formula will provide more certainty to our health care providers and protect our seniors' access to high quality health care," said Rep. Maffei. "Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle agree that the current SGR formula is deeply flawed, and I am proud to see a majority of my Democratic and Republican colleagues in the House come together to advocate for a fiscally responsible long-term solution that makes sense for patients and physicians."

Representatives Flores and Maffei spearheaded a bipartisan letter signed by 259 Members of Congress to House Speaker John Boehner and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi requesting enactment of fiscally responsible reforms to the Medicare physician payment system.

Full text of the letter is below and available at flores.house.gov/uploads/SGR-leadership-letter.pdf
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Dear Speaker Boehner/Leader Pelosi:

We commend the substantial efforts of our House colleagues thus far to reform the Medicare physician payment system and share their urgency to address this critical issue this year. More should be done and we stand committed to permanently repeal the Medicare sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula this year.

With the current full cost of repeal cut in half to $139 billion, repealing the SGR formula is a fiscally responsible step toward overall reform. Congress, over the past decade, has spent $146 billion in short term SGR patches, more than the current cost of repeal. Continuing to enact short-term patches is bad fiscal policy - equivalent to paying the monthly minimum on a credit card bill - and increases the cost of full repeal.

Moreover, fiscal uncertainly makes it difficult for physician practices, which are small businesses, to invest in the necessary infrastructure to better serve their patients. Full repeal of the SGR also paves the way for reasonable, comprehensive payment reform and protecting Medicare beneficiary access to physician services.

We should not pass up this chance to repeal the SGR --with fiscally responsible offsets-- and enact a permanent solution. This year represents a great opportunity to repeal the flawed SGR formula, reform health care delivery to drive quality and efficiency, and set Medicare on a more stable and predictable course for current and future generations of patients and physicians. We appreciate your attention to this issue and look forward to working with you.

Sincerely,

Rep. Bill Flores (TX-17)
Rep. Daniel Maffei (NY-24)
Rep. Mark Amodei (NV-02)
Rep. Michelle Bachmann (MN-06)
Rep. Ron Barber (AZ-02),
Rep. Lou Barletta (PA-11)
Rep. Andy Barr (KY-06)
Rep. John Barrow (GA-12)
Rep. Dan Benishek (MI-01)
Rep. Ami Bera (CA-07)
Rep. Gus Bilirakis (FL-12)
Rep. Tim Bishop (NY-01)
Rep. Sanford Bishop (GA-02)
Rep. Marsha Blackburn (TN-07)
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01)
Rep. Madeline Bordallo (GU)
Rep. Charles Boustany (LA-03)
Rep. Robert Brady (PA-01)
Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01)
Rep. Jim Bridenstine (OK-01)
Rep. Mo Brooks (AL-05)
Rep. Susan Brooks (IN-05)
Rep. Paul Broun (GA-10)
Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26)
Rep. Vern Buchanan (FL-16)
Rep. Larry Bucshon (IN-08)
Rep. Michael Burgess (TX-26)
Rep. Cheri Bustos (IL-17)
Rep. Shelley Capito (WV-02)
Rep. Lois Capps (CA-24)
Rep. Tony Cardenas (CA-29)
Rep. John Carney (DE-At Large)
Rep. Andre Carson (IN-07)
Rep. John Carter (TX-31)
Rep. Bill Cassidy (LA-06)
Rep. Steve Chabot (OH-01)
Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27)
Rep. Yvette Clarke (NY-09)
Rep. Mike Coffman (CO-06)
Rep. Steve Cohen (TN-09)
Rep. Tom Cole (OK-04)
Rep. Doug Collins (GA-09)
Rep. Michael Conaway (TX-11)
Rep. Gerald Connolly (VA-11)
Rep. Jim Costa (CA-16)
Rep. Joe Courtney (CT-02)
Rep. Kevin Cramer (ND-At Large)
Rep. Eric Crawford (AR-01)
Rep. Henry Cuellar (TX-28)
Rep. John Culberson (TX-07)
Rep. Steve Daines (MT-At Large)
Rep. Rodney Davis (IL-13)
Rep. John Delaney (MD-06)
Rep. Suzan DelBene (WA-01)
Rep. Charles Dent (PA-15)
Rep. Scott DesJarlais (TN-04)
Rep. Theodore Deutch (FL-21)
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25)
Rep. Michael Doyle (PA-14)
Rep. Tammy Duckworth (IL-08)
Rep. Sean Duffy (WI-07)
Rep. Keith Ellison (MN-05)
Rep. Renee Ellmers (NC-02)
Rep. Eliot Engel (NY-16)
Rep. William Enyart (IL-12)
Rep. Elizabeth Esty (CT-05)
Rep. Blake Farenthold (TX-27)
Rep. Sam Farr (CA-20)
Rep. Stephen Fincher (TN-08)
Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick (PA-08)
Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (NE-01)
Rep. Bill Foster (IL-11)
Rep. Lois Frankel (FL-22)
Rep. Trent Franks (AZ-08)
Rep. Marcia Fudge (OH-11)
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02)
Rep. John Garamendi (CA-03)
Rep. Joe Garcia (FL-26)
Rep. Cory Gardner (CO-04)
Rep. Jim Gerlach (PA-06)
Rep. Christopher Gibson (NY-19)
Rep. Phil Gingrey (GA-11)
Rep. Louie Gohmert (TX-01)
Rep. Bob Goodlatte (VA-06)
Rep. Paul Gosar (AZ-04)
Rep. Kay Granger (TX-12)
Rep. Sam Graves (MO-06)
Rep. Tom Graves (GA-14)
Rep. Alan Grayson (FL-09)
Rep. Gene Green (TX-29)
Rep. Raul Grijalva (AZ-03)
Rep. Michael Grimm (NY-11)
Rep. Brett Guthrie (KY-02)
Rep. Ralph Hall (TX-04)
Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (HI-01)
Rep. Richard Hanna (NY-22)
Rep. Andy Harris (MD-01)
Rep. Vicky Hartzler (MO-04)
Rep. Doc Hastings (WA-04)
Rep. Denny Heck (WA-10)
Rep. Joe Heck (NV-03)
Rep. Jeb Hensarling (TX-05)
Rep. Brian Higgins (NY-26)
Rep. James Himes (CT-04)
Rep. Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15)
Rep. George Holding (NC-13)
Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12)
Rep. Michael Honda (CA-17)
Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-04)
Rep. Richard Hudson (NC-08)
Rep. Tim Huelskamp (KS-01)
Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-02)
Rep. Randy Hultgren (IL-14)
Rep. Duncan Hunter (CA-50)
Rep. Steve Israel (NY-03)
Rep. Bill Johnson (OH-06)
Rep. Walter Jones (NC-03)
Rep. David Joyce (OH-14)
Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02)
Rep. Mike Kelly (PA-03)
Rep. Daniel Kildee (MI-05)
Rep. Derek Kilmer (WA-06)
Rep. Ron Kind (WI-03)
Rep. Peter King (NY-02)
Rep. Jack Kingston (GA-01)
Rep. Adam Kinzinger (IL-16)
Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01)
Rep. Ann Kuster (NH-02)
Rep. Doug Lamborn (CO-05)
Rep. Leonard Lance (NJ-07)
Rep. James Langevin (RI-02)
Rep. Tom Latham (IA-03)
Rep. Robert Latta (OH-05)
Rep. Barbara Lee (CA-13)
Rep. Daniel Lipinski (IL-03)
Rep. David Loebsack (IA-02)
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (CA-19)
Rep. Billy Long (MO-07)
Rep. Alan Lowenthal (CA-47)
Rep. Frank Lucas (OK-03)
Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03)
Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (NM-03)
Rep. Grisham Lujan (NM-01)
Rep. Cynthia Lummis (WY-At Large)
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (NY-12)
Rep. Sean Maloney (NY-18)
Rep. Tom Marino (PA-10)
Rep. Jim Matheson (UT-04)
Rep. Doris Matsui (CA-06)
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (NY-04)
Rep. Michael McCaul (TX-10)
Rep. Betty McCollum (MN-04)
Rep. Patrick McHenry (NC-10)
Rep. Mike McIntrye (NC-07)
Rep. David McKinley (WV-01)
Rep. Jerry McNerney (CA-09)
Rep. Patrick Meehan (PA-07)
Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06)
Rep. Luke Messer (IN-06)
Rep. John Mica (FL-07)
Rep. Michael Michaud (ME-02)
Rep. Gary Miller (CA-31)
Rep. Gwen Moore (WI-04)
Rep. Mick Mulvaney (SC-05)
Rep. Patrick Murphy (FL-18)
Rep. Tim Murphy (PA-18)
Rep. Kiristi Noem (SD-At Large)
Rep. Richard Nolan (MN-08)
Rep. Eleanor Norton (DC)
Rep. Richard Nugent (FL-11)
Rep. Alan Nunnelee (MS-01)
Rep. Beto O'Rourke (TX-16)
Rep. William Owens (NY-21)
Rep. Steven Palazzo (MS-04)
Rep. Bill Pascrell (NJ-09)
Rep. Donald Payne (NJ-10)
Rep. Stevan Pearce (NM-02)
Rep. Gary Peters (MI-14)
Rep. Scott Peters (CA-52)
Rep. Collin Peterson (MN-07)
Rep. Thomas Petri (WI-06)
Rep. Pedro Pierluisi (PR)
Rep. Chellie Pingree (ME-01)
Rep. Robert Pittenger (NC-09)
Rep. Joseph Pitts (PA-16)
Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02)
Rep. Ted Poe (TX-02)
Rep. Jared Polis (CO-02)
Rep. Mike Pompeo (KS-04)
Rep. Bill Posey (FL-08)
Rep. David Price (NC-04)
Rep. Tom Price (GA-06)
Rep. Mike Quigley (IL-05)
Rep. Trey Radel (FL-19)
Rep. Nick Rahall (WV-03)
Rep. Tom Reed (NY-23)
Rep. Reid Ribble (WI-08)
Rep. Tom Rice (SC-07)
Rep. Cedric Richmond (LA-02)
Rep. Scott Rigell (VA-02)
Rep. David Roe (TN-01)
Rep. Mike Rogers (MI-08)
Rep. Todd Rokita (IN-04)
Rep. Thomas Rooney (FL-17)
Rep. Ilena Ros-Lehtinen (FL-27)
Rep. Dennis Ross (FL-15)
Rep. Keith Rothfus (PA-12)
Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40)
Rep. Edward Royce (CA-39)
Rep. Raul Ruiz (CA-36)
Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-02)
Rep. Bobby Rush (IL-01)
Rep. Matt Salmon (AZ-05)
Rep. John Sarbanes (MD-03)
Rep. Steve Scalise (LA-01)
Rep. Adam Schiff (CA-28)
Rep. Bradley Schneider (IL-10)
Rep. Kurt Schrader (OR-05)
Rep. David Scott (GA-13)
Rep. Austin Scott (GA-08)
Rep. Pete Sessions (TX-32)
Rep. John Shimkus (IL-15)
Rep. Bill Shuster (PA-09)
Rep. Michael Simpson (ID-02)
Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-09)
Rep. Albio Sires (NJ-08)
Rep. Louise Slaughter (NY-25)
Rep. Lamar Smith (TX-21)
Rep. Jackie Speier (CA-14)
Rep. Chris Stewart (UT-02)
Rep. Steve Stockman (TX-36)
Rep. Marlin Stutzman (IN-03)
Rep. Eric Swalwell (CA-15)
Rep. Mark Takano (CA-41)
Rep. Lee Terry (NE-02)
Rep. Scott Tipton (CO-03)
Rep. Dina Titus (NV-01)
Rep. Michael Turner (OH-10)
Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-51)
Rep. Marc Veasey (TX-33)
Rep. Filemon Vela (TX-34)
Rep. Peter Visclosky (IN-01)
Rep. Tim Walberg (MI-07)
Rep. Jackie Walorski (IN-02)
Rep. Timothy Walz (MN-01)
Rep. Randy Weber (TX-14)
Rep. Peter Welch (VT-At Large)
Rep. Brad Wenstrup (OH-02)
Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (GA-03)
Rep. Ed Whitfield (KY-01)
Rep. Joe Wilson (SC-02)
Rep. Robert Wittman (VA-01)
Rep. Frank Wolf (VA-10)
Rep. Steve Womack (AR-03)
Rep. Rob Woodall (GA-07)
Rep. John Yarmuth (KY-03)
Rep. Kevin Yoder (KS-03)
Rep. Ted Yoho (FL-03)
Rep. Don Young (AK-At Large)


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