DMAA Applauds Bipartisan Medicare Agreement WASHINGTON, DC—Today, the Disease Management Association of America (DMAA) announced its support for the reported conference agreement on H.R. 1, the Medicare Prescription Drug & Modernization Act of 2003. "With HR. 1, the most sweeping Medicare legislation in decades poised for passage, DMAA and its members are pleased to announce our strong support for this landmark measure," said Sam Nussbaum, President of DMAA. "Of particular importance to Medicare recipients, this agreement includes a number of advancements by helping ensure that beneficiaries with chronic illness receive supportive care when and where they need it." Specifically, under Sections 721 of the legislation—"Medicare Chronic Care Improvement"—beneficiaries enrolled in the traditional fee-for-service program would, for the first time, have access to a voluntary chronic care improvement program through a national pilot process initially, and if later demonstrated to have both clinical and fiscal efficacy, as part of the overall fabric of the Medicare program. And under Section 722 of the legislation—"Medicare Advantage Quality Improvement Programs"—conferees have ensured that plans in this program (Medicare Advantage) must have chronic care improvement programs, as part of their annually-reviewed quality improvement criteria. "House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Thomas (R-CA) and House Ways & Means Health Subcommittee Chairwoman Johnson (R-CT) have done yeoman's work, and we look forward to working with them to ensure that their vision of a Modernized Medicare program that includes chronic care management is realized," said Nussbaum. For the past two-and-a-half years, DMAA has been increasingly active in its advocacy initiatives, led by Christobel Selecky, DMAA President-Elect, Chair of the DMAA Government Affairs Committee, and Chief Executive Officer of LifeMasters Supported SelfCare, Inc. and Bob Stone, DMAA Immediate Past President and American Healthways Executive Vice President. Nussbaum added, "Bob (Stone), Chris (Selecky) and the DMAA Washington-based staff have done an outstanding job for Medicare beneficiaries." DMAA is a nonprofit, voluntary membership organization which represents all stakeholders of the disease management community. # # # |
