Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. press release, December 6, 2001

NEWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Second Congressional District of Maryland 1 407 York Rood, Suita 304 Lultwrvillo, Morylond 2 1 093 315 Cannon Houm Offico Building Woihinglon, D.C 20515 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Henry Fawell Thursday, December 6, 2001 202/225-3061 House Votes to Let Doctors Spend More Time With Patients, Less Time on Paperwork WASHINGTON, D.C. - The House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly this week to adopt legislation allowing doctors who treat Medicare patients to focus more on patient care and less on paperwork. Congressman Bob Ehrlich (MD-2) was an original cosponsor of HR. 3391, The Medicare Regulatory and Contracting Reform Act, which streamlines burdensome regulatory requirements associated with the Medicare program. H.R. 3391 includes key provisions of H.R. 1798, The Medicare Patient Access to Preventive and Diagnostic Tests Act, which Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn (R-WA), Congressman Jim McDermott (D-WA), and Congressman Ehrlich introduced on May 10, 2001. This provision establishes a transparent, predictable process for establishing Medicare reimbursement rates for new diagnostic tests, which will ensure that Medicare can keep pace with rapid advances in diagnostic testing and other medical technologies to benefit seniors. Congressman Ehrlich stated, “While Medicare is a vital program for millions of Americans, it is also one of the most complicated and over-regulated programs within the federal government’s jurisdiction. This bill simplifies the Medicare program and its paperwork requirement for doctors, without spending a dime of the taxpayer’s money. It also ensures a process by which reimbursement for critical lab testing is created that will allow Medicare to better serve seniors who need lab testing to help identify and treat health problems.” Current Medicare regulations often shift an overwhelming burden of paperwork directly on doctors and nurses, thereby cutting into the amount of time they spend with patients. The complexities of the regulations, the amount of paperwork, and the penalties for errors in paperwork submissions, all serve as a disincentive for doctors to treat Medicare patients.