While Congressional Republicans debate how to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act, the chairman of the House Budget Committee said Medicare reform is likely on the table.
Rep. Tom Price (R-GA), who also is said to be a contender for Health and Human Services Secretary, told reporters that a second budget reconciliation process likely would mean reforms to Medicare, Bloomberg BNA reported. The first budget reconciliation is believed to be the fastest path towards repealing the ACA.
Afterward, site-neutral and bundled payment policies are believed to be on the table from Republicans. A more controversial idea would be combining Medicare Part A and Part B, which have different payment rates, BNA reported. One Houston-based attorney told BNA the rationale is that the combination reflects care coordination and integration.
The logistics, however, would be challenging, long-term care experts said.
