The Chamber

Health Insurance/Tax Credits

• Support association health plans, which would serve as purchasing pools for small businesses.
• Support federal medical liability reform.
• Urge equitable tax treatment for individuals who purchase their own coverage and support tax credits targeted to those with modest incomes.
• Support caregivers through respite care and tax credits or an IRA on long-term care issues.
• Support legislation that fosters private-sector solutions for the uninsured in the U.S.
• Support stand-alone legislation that offers tax credits for employer sponsored workplace wellness programs for employees.

Medicaid Program

• Urge lawmakers to protect and enhance Medicaid funding for hospitals.
• Oppose implementation of new Medicaid block grant funding concepts for states.
• Protect federal funding for CHIP and the Texas Medicaid disproportionate share program (DSH).
• Protect the use of intergovernmental transfer (IGT) funds to obtain Medicaid match.

Medicare Program

• Oppose efforts to reduce Medicare Advantage or Medicare hospital and physician payments. Ensure that the Medicare program is protected from government imposed price controls on prescription drugs and offers choices to seniors and people with disabilities.
• Support linking physician Medicare reimbursements to quality-focused, performance-driven benchmarks. Physician reimbursement rates currently are set by a sustainable growth rate formula that needs comprehensive reform. Oppose reducing hospital reimbursements for offsets.
• Support efforts by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to reduce regulatory burdens on health care providers.
• Maintain current Upper Payment Limit Program with enhanced match.

Rural Health

• Support rural health initiatives and oppose measures that would reduce access for rural residents.

Workforce Shortage

• Support continued reform of the area wage index system utilized by the Medicare reimbursement system.  This system, created in 1984, unfairly penalizes communities that had a low cost of living almost 20 years ago, and has restricted the ability of local health care providers to offer competitive wages.
• Reduce the national shortage of nurses and other allied professionals through innovative funding for educational programs and scholarships.
• Oppose efforts to implement nurse-staffing ratios.
• Support changes in immigration policies to facilitate recruitment of foreign nurses.

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