News Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 19, 2007

Contact your representative to vote “YES” on Lewis/Weller amendment that prevents IPPS cuts

U.S. Representatives Jerry Weller (R-IL) and John Lewis (D-GA) are planning to offer an amendment to prevent the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) from prospectively cutting as much as billion.   Please act now - the vote on this amendment may come as soon as tonight…

Action:

 

Urge your U.S. House member to vote “Yes” on the Lewis/Weller amendment to the Labor-HHS appropriations bill that will prevent proposed IPPS hospital cuts.    Please call immediately – or to send an e-mail directly to your Representative (click here)…

 

 

Background:

This amendment, which has two parts, would be added to the FFY 2008 Labor-HHS appropriations under current consideration on the House floor.

The first part of the amendment would impose a one-year delay on implementation of the Medicare Severity Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-DRGs), as is required in the proposed inpatient prospective payment system rule for FFY 2008.

The second part would prevent CMS from prospectively implementing the 2.4% “behavioral offset.”  This unfair and flawed assumption would prospectively penalize hospitals for behaviors that have not even occurred and would cut as much as billion from inpatient hospital services.

Earlier this year 269 House members signed a letter opposing the “behavioral offset,” including the endorsements of 11 Illinois representatives.  A similar Senate letter was signed by 63 senators, including both Illinois senators.