Quality Health Care Coalition Act” Gains Momentum in House. HR 1304, the “Quality Health Care Coalition Act,” is gaining momentum in the House of Representatives. The bill now has nearly 145 co-sponsors, with a majority of House Judiciary Committee Members co-sponsoring the measure. This bipartisan legislation will allow physicians to jointly negotiate the terms and conditions of their contracts (including fees) with health plans, without violating antitrust laws and without joining a labor union. Currently, individual practitioners must “take or leave” the prices set by insurance companies. HR 1304, however, will enable groups of physicians to negotiate with insurance companies. A delegation of physicians, including neurosurgeons Troy M. Tippett, MD, and George H. Koenig, MD, recently met with Henry Hyde (R-IL), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, to discuss the prospects of HR 1304. At that meeting, Chairman Hyde acknowledged the problems physicians currently face with health plans and expressed his commitment to finding a solution to this problem. The AANS and CNS, along with the American Medical Association (AMA) and others, are currently working to introduce a companion bill in the U.S. Senate.
NEURONEWS
AANS Supports Universal Emergency Care Systems
Recently, the availability of timely and appropriate sophisticated emergency medical treatment has become a public health concern. The AANS has recognized this problem and issued a position statement in support of emergency neurosurgical services.AANS Position Statement on the Management of Emergency Neurosurgical Services
Healthcare facilities that provide emergency medical services have a responsibility to maintain an organized system for providing, or insuring referral for, emergency neurosurgical care.A neurosurgeon who has accepted the responsibility of being “on-call” at a given time to assist a healthcare facility in meeting these demands is obligated to respond promptly when called to provide emergency neurosurgical care, regardless of the patient’s race, ethnic background, religious affiliation or ability to pay. In the event the on-call neurosurgeon cannot personally deliver care because of an irresolvable, professional conflict, the healthcare facility trauma system should have a protocol for obtaining other neurosurgical services.
- AMA Votes to Form a Collective Bargaining Unit.The American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates voted on June 23, 1999, to form a collective bargaining unit to counteract the powers of managed care organizations and give physicians a voice when negotiating with health care contractors. The labor organization would support the creation of local bargaining units as an option for physicians who are employed by managed care companies or who are self-employed and under contract with such companies. In a statement following the House of Delegates vote, Randolph D. Smoak, Jr., MD, Chair of the AMA Board of Trustees, said, “By forming an affiliated labor organization, eligible physicians will be able to fight for quality patient care, while remaining faithful to the AMA’s historic and unwavering commitment to ethics and professionalism. The move will enable eligible physicians to advocate more effectively on behalf of their patients.”
- President Clinton Releases Medicare Reform Proposals. On June 29, 1999, President Clinton unveiled his plan “to modernize and strengthen Medicare for the 21st century,” including a new Medicare prescription drug benefit. While the details were not available at press time, the plan does not appear to include any new physician payment cuts. Overall, the President proposes funding his Medicare reforms through $64.5 billion in savings over 10 years using measures intended to foster “competition and efficiency” (such as competitive bidding), as well as using funds from the projected budget surplus. Several key members of Congress are expected to introduce their own plans in the upcoming months. Given the political nature of this debate and the complex issues involved in reforming the program, it is unlikely that any final action will be taken until after the 2000 elections.
- Medical Societies Launch Campaign for Universal Health Coverage. Some of the nation’s largest medical associations, including the American Medical Association and the American College of Surgeons, are launching a campaign to make universal health care coverage the central focus of the 2000 U.S. presidential election. The campaign will draw together the associations’ resources, as well as the grassroots membership of more than 600,000 doctors to press political candidates to put heath care for the uninsured at the forefront of public debate.