PPP Home

PRINCIPLES REGARDING MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY

The American Medical Student Association:

1.             SUPPORTS the development of a catastrophic health safety net program that will be incorporated into the present Medicare system. (1987)

2.             In regard to accepting Medicare assignment:

a.             STRONGLY SUPPORTS every physician who practices under the principle that quality health care for all people, including Medicare recipients, is the ultimate concern. (1988)

b.             OPPOSES the imposition of a mandatory link between medical licensure and the acceptance of Medicare assignment by physicians. (1988)

c.             URGES local, state and federal government officials and concerned private organizations to find positive incentive programs to encourage voluntary acceptance of medicare assignment. (1988)

3.             SUPPORTS the development of a system that will limit out-of-pocket expenses of the chronically ill. (1987)

4.             In regard to undergraduate medical education:

a.             SUGGESTS that the Medicare Program consider making a lump sum payment for the principle and interest on educational loans taken out by medical students.  In return, the medical students would enter residency programs for specialties judged to be in short supply, and heavily involved in care of the elderly.  The students would also agree to accept payments by Medicare (perhaps at a discount) when they eventually enter practice.

5.             In regard to balance billing:

a.             SUPPORTS legislation that allows physicians to “opt in” or “opt out” of Medicare on a yearly basis.  Those who “opt in” are allowed to balance bill on all services up to a certain percentage of the approved charge.  Those who “opt out” could charge as they like, but Medicare would pay nothing for their services. (1989)

b.             SUPPORTS legislation that caps balance billing at 15 percent of the allowed charge (1989), and STRONGLY URGES all physicians to eliminate the process of balance billing entirely for patients who are financially in need. (1992)

6.             URGES the elimination of return on equity payments through Medicare to proprietary hospitals, and, furthermore, (1986)

7.             SUPPORTS the maintenance of adequate capital contributions through Medicare to not-for-profit hospitals. (1986)

8.             STRONGLY URGES the federal government to maintain Medicare as a national entitlement program and OPPOSES any legislation that would serve to: (1996)

a.             Transfer control over the allocation of Medicare funds to the state governments;

b.             Decrease access to any and all health-care services covered by Medicare for those insured by                                          Medicare.

9.             STRONGLY URGES Medicare to cover services that are required by long-term care recipients.  These include, but are not limited to:

a.             More extensive coverage of different Home Health Agencies;

b.             Adult day care services for the chronically ill for those patients with three or more deficits in Activities of Daily Living;

c.             Physical/Occupational Therapy.

10.           STRONGLY URGES the federal government to not discontinue any of the following Medicare services to Medicare recipients:

a.             Hospital inpatient services, subject to a deductible and coinsurance after day 60;

b.             Home health services;

c.             Skilled nursing facility care, limited to 100 days and subject to a coinsurance after day 20;

d.             Hospice care.

e.             Prescription drug benefit. (2004)

11.           STRONGLY URGES the federal government to not raise the monthly premium of Part B by more than 10 percent (not including cost-of-living adjustment) each year.

12.           SUPPORTS in principle the federal Medicare program, but only in the absence of a comprehensive national health program with universal coverage available for all Americans. (1997)

13.           In regard to Social Security, AMSA:

a.             BELIEVES that the Social Security Program is an essential social program, as it benefits a large segment of the population of the United States ;

b.             OPPOSES reductions in Social Security benefits that would adversely affect the health and well-being of the elderly and others dependent upon the system;

c.             URGES the U.S. government to consider alternative revenue sources as a means of insuring the solvency of the Social Security system.

14.           In regard to a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan: (2004)

a.             STRONGLY URGES the Federal government to use volume purchasing of pharmaceutical drugs to negotiate lower prices with drug companies. (2004)

b.             URGES the Federal government to provide all beneficiaries with an affordable and comprehensive prescription drug benefit, regardless of the availability of private plans in individual regions. (2004)

c.             OPPOSES assets tests or means testing of Medicare beneficiaries to determine levels of coverage based on income or assets. (2004)

d.             OPPOSES attempts to privatize Medicare whereby beneficiaries are forced to select private plans in order to receive prescription drug or other benefits. (2004)

e.             OPPOSES decreasing Medicaid or employer retirement prescription drug benefits in order for Medicare beneficiaries to participate in the Medicare prescription drug plan. (2004)

f.              SUPPORTS a Medicare prescription drug benefit that is administered as a simple add-on benefit to traditional Medicare; (2006)

g.             SUPPORTS the elimination of the “doughnut hole,” which refers to the range of levels of prescription drug out-of-pocket expenditures for which the drug benefit offers zero percent coverage in the Medicare prescription drug benefit; (2006)

h.             URGES the government to lower the drug expenditure threshold for catastrophic coverage eligibility; (2006)

i.              URGES insurers to provide a generous formulary that covers multiple members of a class of drugs; (2006)

j.              URGES insurers to set up an effective, rapid mechanism for beneficiaries or their agents to appeal denials of coverage of drugs that are not on the formulary. (2006)

k.             SUPPORTS the development of user-friendly applications for enrollment in Part D, the development of unbiased, evidence based tools to make informed choices between drug plans, and the promulgation of pertinent information about the benefits offered in different plans; (2006)

l.              URGES legislatures to eliminate the requirement that forces Medicare prescription drug beneficiaries to enroll with a drug plan for one year; (2006)

m.            SUPPORTS beneficiary freedom to switch drug plans without barriers;  (2006)

n.             URGES the federal government to allow federal matching funds for state initiated Medicaid wrap-around coverage for dual eligibles. (2006)