Event Recap: National Journal Forum on the Future of Medicare

Just days before Medicare’s 50th anniversary, the Better Medicare Alliance (BMA) sponsored a National Journal Forum, “The Future of Medicare,” to bring together key health care stakeholders to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing Medicare on its 50th anniversary. Congresswoman Allyson Y. Schwartz, President and CEO of the Better Medicare Alliance, gave opening remarks, followed by speeches and Q&A sessions, moderated by Kaiser Health News’ Julie Rovner, with Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Congressman Kevin Brady (R-TX), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health. The event concluded with a panel of health policy experts who discussed innovation, progress and challenges in Medicare payment and health care delivery reform. Nearly 160 individuals were in attendance and the Forum was live-streamed.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Bipartisan agreement exists around moving Medicare from fee-for-service toward value-based care for physicians.
  • All participants agree that Medicare providers should be accountable for quality measures to improve health outcomes for beneficiaries and reduce costs.
  • Preventive care, chronic disease management, and home care are essential to keeping patients out of the hospital and avoiding costly, acute and long-term care in the future.
  • Strong information technology that is interoperable and links providers and patients is key to integrated care.
  • Medicare Advantage is an important choice within Medicare because of delivery reforms that provide efficient, high quality, coordinated care and offer valued benefits not covered in traditional Medicare.
  • Participants acknowledge that a lot of progress has been made – the SGR repeal bill, increased participation in alternative payment models, and bold new efforts from CMS to drive value-based care – but also believe that there is more to do to improve quality and sustain Medicare for the future.

SPEAKERS:

  • Congresswoman Allyson Y. Schwartz, President and CEO, Better Medicare Alliance
  • Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Ranking Member, Senate Finance Committee
  • Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX), Chairman, Health Subcommittee, House Ways and Means Committee

PANELISTS:

  • Joseph Antos, Ph.D., Wilson H. Taylor Scholar in Health Care and Retirement Policy, American Enterprise Institute
  • Andrew Gurman, M.D., President-Elect, American Medical Association
  • Rick Pollack, Executive Vice President, Advocacy and Public Policy, American Hospital Association
  • Joe Baker, President, Medicare Rights Center
  • Chris Jennings, Founder and President, Jennings Policy Strategies

To view the full event broadcast, please see here.

See below for photos from the event.

Event

Newseum event

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