According to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT): "The Finance Committee will move aggressively on broader Medicare reform in the next session of Congress. Changes that make every part of Medicare better for seniors are sorely needed. A hard look at Medicare Advantage is now overdue. Work on comprehensive Medicare legislation will continue and see completion in the early part of 2008."
Ranking Finance Committee Republican Charles Grassley stated: "It's a six-month extension that serves as a stop-gap until Congress can take care of the important Medicare business that got backed up this fall."
NCOA is deeply disappointed that more was not done to improve assistance for low-income beneficiaries in greatest need. However, we are pleased that there will be an opportunity to consider needed low-income beneficiary improvements next year
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Democrats also are focused on trimming payments to private health insurers that serve older people and the disabled. Democratic Sen. Max Baucus of Montana, who heads the Senate Finance Committee, has said a hard look at the payments and the marketing practices of insurers is long overdue.
The insurance companies provide coverage to about 9 million people through a program known as Medicare Advantage. The government, on average, spends about 12% more for beneficiaries treated through Medicare Advantage than it does for those in traditional Medicare. Under regular Medicare, the government simply reimburses a provider a set rate for a particular service.
But Leavitt said the administration will not support cutting money for Medicare Advantage.
"We want to protect it, enhance it and expand
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