06.16.08

Cantwell Speaks at Senate Finance Committee Health Reform Summit

Summit Addressed Spiraling Health Costs Leading to More Employers Looking To Scale Back Coverage; More Uninsured Families

WASHINGTON, DC – Monday U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) attended the Senate Finance Committee Health Reform Summit and participated in a panel to address “Bending the Growth Curve” of health care spending.
 
 
[Cantwell’s remarks, as prepared for delivery follow below]
 
“Today is an important opportunity for us as members of the Senate Finance Committee to come together and discuss health reform.  There is no shortage of topics to be discussed, but our goal is clear: explore solutions that will lead to affordable care for every American. 
 
“This session on addressing spiraling health costs covers a particularly important aspect of the overall discussion as uncontrolled costs are behind many of the troubles in health care.   Costs are straining our system, leading to higher premiums and co-pays, more bankruptcies, more employers looking to scale back coverage, and more uninsured families. 
 
“We, as a nation, will spend over $2 trillion on health care this year.  However, it is not apparent what we are getting in return for our investment.  Data consistently show that increased health care spending does not correlate with better outcomes for the patient.  In fact, it is estimated that roughly a third or all health care spending is used on unnecessary or ineffective care.  That’s hundreds of billions of dollars of taxpayer money and personal income being thrown away.
 
“These facts, startling as they are, present us with the opportunity to act.  We can reform the way we provide care and ultimately create a system that focuses on quality rather than waste, and efficiency over excessive utilization. 
 
“To begin with, we must change the way we pay for health care.  The Medicare program we have now rewards providers for inefficiency—for ordering more tests, performing more procedures, and failing to prevent serious complications resulting from chronic illness.  In effect, this payment system is penalizing low-cost states like Washington, where efficiency in the use of health dollars has been the norm.
 
“Medicare should reward quality.  It should reimburse more for primary care and coordination between different specialists for chronic conditions.  Basically, it should reward a physician for teaching their patient how to better manage their diabetes rather than dole out more money when serious complications arise. 
 
“Closely tied to this change in payment is the need to invest more in comparative effectiveness research that will help doctors determine which treatments are best for patients. 
 
“We must also invest in an interoperable system of health information technology to streamline the delivery of care, avoid costly medical errors and duplicative tests, and empower patients to manage their own health care information.  We have the technology to move us forward, and we can no longer afford to wait as the majority of patients are still served under an antiquated paper-based system.
 
“Additionally, health and wellness must be promoted further in our schools, workplace, and communities to begin reducing the 75 percent share of health care dollars spent on chronic illness.  Afflictions such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke are killing hundreds of thousands of Americans every year and placing significant strain on our health care budgets.  We owe it to ourselves to be more health conscious, and I will work with my colleagues in the Senate to improve the health our nation.
 
“These policies must be implemented in tandem if we are going to successfully bend the growth curve in health care spending.  We simply cannot afford to delay any further.  We must take action to preserve Medicare and Medicaid for the elderly and poor, keep costs down for middle class families, and improve quality and ensure continued access to care for all.” 
 
 
# # #