'Deep concern and disappointment' with exclusion of Medicare from SCHIP l...( Such positive updates must be paid for...),Health

• Include a Medicare medical home demonstration that will lead to long-term payment reforms to support preventive and coordinated care by physicians.

The ACP letter urged congressional leaders to work for enactment of a bill that incorporates several other important improvements from CHAMP: expand Medicare coverage for preventive benefits, reduce cost-sharing for mental health, and continue the floor on geographic payment adjustments for physician services.

Dr. Dale concluded by noting that, Americas children and seniors both deserve the best health care possible. Congress must enact legislation to maintain SCHIP coverage for children. Congress must also preserve and improve access to care for senior and disabled patients under traditional Medicare by enacting positive physician payment updates for the next two years, paying for those updates without budget gimmicks, mandating an expanded demonstration of the Medicare medical home demonstration, and making other improvements in Medicare. We urge you to do everything possible to assure that agreement is reached soon with your Senate colleagues on legislation that includes these essential Medicare improvements.

Our physician members and their patients will expect nothing less.

The letters were addressed to:

Hon. Harry Reid, majority leader, United States Senate
Hon. Mitch McConnell, minority leader, United States Senate
Hon. Max Baucus, chairman, Senate Finance Committee
Hon. Charles Grassley, ranking minority member, Senate Finance Committee
Hon. Nancy Pelosi, speaker, U.S. House of Representatives
Hon. Charles Rangel, chairman, House Ways and Means Committee
Hon. Pete Stark, chairman, Subcommittee on Health, House Ways and Means Committee
Hon. John Dingell, cha
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