BBA ADJUSTMENTS: Measure Aims to Soften Outpatient Cuts

      A proposal to limit Medicare cuts to hospital outpatient care reimbursements is making the rounds in the Senate and the House, CongressDaily reports. Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL) introduced his measure last week, and Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chair Jim Jeffords (R-VT) rolled out a companion measure Tuesday. The bill would limit Medicare outpatient reductions from the base year to 5% in year one, 10% in year two and 15% in year three. Foley said the measure would give hospitals -- especially rural facilities that stand to suffer most under the outpatient cuts -- "flexibility" and "a period of time to adjust" to the Balanced Budget Act. Foley noted that while Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Chair Bill Thomas (R-CA) has seen the measure, he does not "expect Thomas to embrace it," in light of other financial compromises the committee is weighing (Wegner/Earle, 6/23).