[TAO] Senate passes Chronic Care Act!

[Catherine Britain]

Just in! Press release from Senator Wyden's office.  Wyden is a cosponsor
of this bill.  Please let him know that the telehealth community in Oregon
is appreciative of his efforts.


And thanks to Doug Romer for getting this to us so quickly.


Best,

Cathy


*From:* Stern, Hank (Wyden)
*Sent:* Wednesday, September 27, 2017 9:57 AM
*To:* Stern, Hank (Wyden)
*Subject:* Senate Passes Wyden’s CHRONIC Care Act





<http://wyden.senate.gov/>

For Immediate Release Sept. 27, 2017
Contact: Hank Stern, 503-326-7539 <(503)%20326-7539>

*Senate Passes Wyden’s CHRONIC Care Act*

*Bill also extends senator’s proven Independence at Home Program*

*WASHINGTON* — U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said Wednesday he welcomed the
Senate’s unanimous passage this week of a bipartisan bill aimed at
strengthening and improving health outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries
living with chronic conditions.

The *Creating High-Quality Results and Outcomes Necessary to Improve
Chronic (CHRONIC) Care Act of 2017
<http://www.finance.senate.gov/download/chronic-care-act-of-2017> *would
help tens of thousands of Oregonian seniors and millions of Americans by
coordinating their care so it’s both more effective and cost-efficient.

*“This bill marks an important step towards updating and strengthening
Medicare’s guarantee of comprehensive health benefits for seniors,”*
said *Wyden,
the ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee.*

*“Medicare policy cannot stand idly by while the needs of people in the
program shift to managing multiple costly chronic diseases,”* Wyden said.
*“This bill provides new options and tools for seniors and their doctors to
coordinate care and makes it less burdensome to stay healthy.”*
The bill that passed the Senate on Tuesday was co-sponsored by Senate
Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), as well as Sens. Johnny
Isakson (R-Ga.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.)

The bill also included a two-year extension and expansion of the
Independence At Home (IAH) program. That program brings high-quality care
to patients suffering from multiple debilitating chronic illnesses while
lowering Medicare costs by empowering teams of doctors and other health
care professionals to coordinate and provide primary care services in
patients’ homes, reducing unnecessary emergency room visits, avoidable
hospitalizations, and hospital readmissions.

Wyden and Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) are the original co-authors of
the IAH program, which began in 2012
<https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/markey-wyden-applaud-selection-of-innovative-independence-at-home-pilot-programs>
.

*“Independence at Home is all about helping seniors who want to stay at
home do so while receiving high-quality health care for their complex
chronic illnesses,” *Wyden said.* “The CHRONIC Care Act’s extension and
expansion of Independence at Home is an important step towards
demonstrating this approach works for seniors while bringing down health
care costs.*

*“I’m especially pleased that this extension will allow Housecall Providers
in Oregon
<https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/health-care-inc/2016/08/housecall-providers-continues-to-save-medicare.html>
to
continue leading the way on innovative home-based health care,”* he said*.
“I will continue working to get this critical extension of Independence at
Home to the president’s desk.”*

The CHRONIC Care Act now goes to the House of Representatives, where
similar policies have been considered.

-- 
Catherine S. Britain, Executive Director
Telehealth Alliance of Oregon
csbritain at gmail.com
541-910-7366
www.ortelehealth.org
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