Congresswoman Beatty Votes in Favor of Bill that Helps Seniors and Children
Congresswoman Beatty Votes in Favor of Bill that Helps Seniors and Children
Bipartisan bill fixes SGR Formula and provides stable CHIP Funding
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03) voted in favor of legislation that would help seniors and children by fixing the Medicare reimbursement sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula and funding the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for two years. The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, H.R. 2, passed the House by a vote of 392-37.
"This bill corrects long-standing flaws in Medicare that have put our seniors at risk. The legislation allows us to create a system that rewards the care physicians provide and helps improve the accuracy of payments," said Rep. Beatty. "I voted for the bill because retirees deserve to have a secure retirement, and today's vote is significant progress toward that goal."
H.R. 2 is a historic bipartisan package that will end the decade-long cycle of annual "doc fix" patches and restore certainty to our seniors and doctors, hospitals, and institutions who treat Medicare patients. Since 2003, Congress has spent nearly $170 billion in short-term patches to avoid unsustainable cuts to Medicare physicians imposed by the SGR formula. As the deadline to fix the SGR approaches, this legislation will restore clarity to the budget, stability to providers, and certainty for seniors.
The bill also secures the healthcare of low-income children with a two-year extension of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) at the same rates as the Affordable Care Act. This extension will keep millions of children from losing access to health care and will reassure families that their children will get the care they need when they need it. H.R. 2 also expands funding for Community Health Centers (CHCs) by $7.2 billion for two years.
"All of America's children should have the opportunity to reach the top of the ladder to success, and making sure all our children are healthy and have access to quality health care is a critical," said Rep. Beatty. "CHIP is an important part of achieving this goal, and I am proud to have supported this funding measure."
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