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WASHINGTON -- Following is a statement from Gail Shearer, Director of Health Policy Analysis for the Washington, D.C., office of Consumers Union, in opposition to legislation before Congress to allow private contracting for Medicare, S. 1194 and H.R. 2497. This proposal is the subject of a hearing before the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday, February 26, 1998:
"It is crucial that Congress say 'No' to the proposal that we turn the clock back on protecting our nation's seniors against unlimited doctor fees. If the Kyl bill were enacted, Medicare beneficiaries would be at risk of losing the financial security that Medicare has provided seniors for over 30 years.
"Instead of access to quality care with reasonable charges, seniors would face new uncertainties about whether their doctor will treat them under Medicare. Unscrupulous doctors could prey on vulnerable elderly patients, after sizing up their ability to pay privately. Doctors would be free to encourage patients to accept services outside of Medicare. They could also initiate a new type of fraudulent billing practices -- double-billing the health care system by collecting fees both privately from patients and from Medicare.
"What this means for patients is medical bills -- at whatever price the doctor chooses to charge -- that are not reimbursed by Medicare or medigap policies. The Kyl bill sets the stage for a new round of devastating victimization of the nation's elderly."
NOTE: A 2 page FACT SHEET on this legislation is available on CU's Faxback line, (document number 3703), available at 202/462-7705.
