All of the hubbub surrounding the otherwise mundane task of marking up the Senate Finance version of the healthcare reform bill has focused on the actions of its chair (Max Baucus) and talkinghead pontifications on the matter of the health of the public option provision. Left out of the media’s portrayal of the issue is the committee’s goal for shaping reform as it relates to Medicare waste.

Senate Republicans, initially wary, are now becoming more sensitive to proposals in the reform bill that would allow Medicare’s independent payment commission (MedPAC) to overhaul and streamline its payment policies for the most common chronic medical problems making up the lion’s share of those payments. They hope to implement those procedures within the next five years. Developing new payment initiatives that maximize primary care services while slowing the growth of Medicare spending is the goal, but it comes with the concern of lowering provider reimbursements if cost-cutting goals aren’t met. | LINK

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