SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 28
(By Senators Prezioso, Jenkins, Stollings, Foster and Oliverio)
Expressing the will of the Legislature to repeal the Medicare
Sustainable Growth Rate that currently governs physician
payments and to support measures to permanently fix the
Medicare Physician payment problem.
Whereas, West Virginia has the largest proportion of
population on Medicare of any state; and
Whereas, Recent AARP polls found that nearly ninety percent of
people over the age of fifty are concerned that the current
Medicare physician payment formula threatens their access to care;
and
Whereas, Physicians and other health professionals face an
unprecedented twenty-one percent cut in Medicare payment rates
March 1, 2010, with additional cuts in future years; and
Whereas, Physicians are central to the delivery of health care
and Medicare's payment system should encourage quality and
affordable care; and
Whereas, By repealing the Sustainable Growth Rate formula, the
"Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act" would eliminate all these
forecast cuts; and
Whereas, Medicare cuts will further erode seniors' access and
choice of physician; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Legislature of West Virginia is opposed to the
Medicare Sustainable Growth Act which jeopardizes seniors' access
to care and physicians' confidence in the government's commitment
to a strong and reliable Medicare program; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Legislature of West Virginia
supports legislation to permanently repeal the Medicare Sustainable
Growth Rate that currently governs Medicare physician payments;
and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Legislature of West Virginia
support measures to permanently fix the Medicare Physician payment
problem; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate is hereby
directed to forward a copy of this resolution to United States
Senators Robert C. Byrd and John D. Rockefeller IV and
Representatives Nick J. Rahall, Alan B. Mollohan and Shelley M.
Capito.