Senator Patrick Leahy’s
Legislative Health Priorities
Vermont Medical Society Newsletter
December 2007
As you listen to the national dialogue about pressing issues facing
our country, the conversation is dominated by discussion of the war
in Iraq and national security. Meanwhile, as gas prices increase
and winter sets in, more people are talking about how expensive it
is to fuel up their car and to heat their home. And after every
increase to monthly health insurance premiums or trip to the doctor,
we hear from our family, friends, and neighbors about our expensive
and broken health care system. Finding solutions to any of these
issues is by no means an easy task, but for a long time we as a
country have been talking about solving the health care crisis and I
know that you feel as invested and committed to progress as I do.
Federal and State health programs such as Medicare and Medicaid,
along with community health centers, provide a critical safety net
for our elderly and indigent populations. But millions of people
are still falling through the cracks. A significant portion of
those that are uninsured in America have jobs but cannot afford to
purchase insurance through their employers. Though we spend twice
as much per person on health care in America as any other country,
forty-seven million of our fellow citizens are denied access.
Efforts to provide health care coverage for the uninsured on both
the state and national level will only be compounded if we fail to
recognize the need to address new trends in the physician
workforce. In Vermont and other rural areas we continue to see a
shortage of primary care physicians and specialists in
anesthesiology, radiology, and other fields. The same trend is true
for our nursing workforce and many of our allied health
professions. These shortages threaten to impact patient access and
care if we do not begin to reverse them.
We are fortunate to have a wonderful quality of life to offer
physicians looking to practice in Vermont. Unfortunately, we also
have to compete with places that can offer higher compensation. The
federal government’s downward trend on Medicare reimbursement has
served only to further threaten our physician workforce as doctors
have had to cover the growing gap between the cost of treating
patients and what the government will pay for that care.
As the first session of the 110th Congress wraps up, we
are working to stave off a ten percent cut in Medicare reimbursement
for 2008. This has regrettably become an annual event. I have
consistently supported blocking these cuts and this year have
advocated for a two-year fix to the Medicare reimbursement formula.
If we are successful in this effort, Congress and CMS should have
enough time to implement a plan that provides a better method for
reimbursing physicians.
Supporting practicing physicians is important to keeping doctors in
Vermont. On the other side of the equation, we must also expand the
pipeline for producing new generations of doctors. For our state,
this means making significant investments in the University of
Vermont College of Medicine and ensuring that it remains one of the
top small medical schools in the country. I have worked with the
College to secure funds for its continual need of updated facilities
and equipment, and am currently working to help the College with new
imaging and surgical facilities.
There are multiple other federal programs that I have worked to
protect funding for to ensure we have a vibrant medical school in
Vermont. Increased NIH funding is essential to the College’s work
and to providing research opportunities for younger doctors. The
Title VII Health Professions Program that funds UVM’s AHEC provides
continuing education and loan repayment for practicing physicians
and health career information to young Vermonters. These are just
two examples of how federal programs impact Vermont’s physician
workforce.
Finally, we must bring our health care system fully into line with
the technological advances of the 21st Century. One of
the easiest advances to visualize is the progression to an
electronic medical record for patients. This hardware and software
comes at a significant cost and, as Vermont’s hospitals and
physicians move towards implementing EMRs, we must provide financial
support to ensure that all providers, large and small, are able to
adopt this technology. Over the past three years, I have worked to
secure federal funds for Vermont Information Technology Leaders,
Inc.; these funds would help providers connect with the health
information exchange.
We have already seen health care be a central issue for both parties
on the campaign trail for the 2008 presidential election. That is a
good sign as the electorate is clamoring for fresh ideas and, with a
closely divided Congress, it will be up to the next President to set
the agenda for health care reform. Ultimately, any plan that is put
forward should build on the pillars of our current system to ensure
universal access to quality, affordable health care coverage.
We are fortunate to have a dedicated workforce of physicians and
nurses who put their patients’ care above all. Congress and the
federal government have an important role in supporting the work of
our medical professionals and you can be sure I will continue to
advance the health care priorities of Vermonters.
Thank you for this opportunity to contribute to the Vermont Medical
Society newsletter.
Sincerely,
Patrick Leahy
UNITED STATES SENATOR
