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1 1 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. ___
1 2 BY WEIGEL, KOENIGS, DREES, MERTZ, and FALLON
1 3 A Concurrent Resolution to request that the United
1 4 States Congress provide funds to increase the
1 5 reimbursement levels to Iowa hospitals and
1 6 health care providers.
1 7 WHEREAS, Iowa's hospitals form the backbone of
1 8 Iowa's health care infrastructure and constitute a
1 9 vital component of Iowa's communities; and
1 10 WHEREAS, Iowa requires a fully operational network
1 11 of hospitals in urban and rural counties, providing
1 12 access to acute services; and
1 13 WHEREAS, hospitals' ability to provide quality
1 14 services depends upon sufficient funding and
1 15 reimbursement for services; and
1 16 WHEREAS, Iowa's rural hospitals are particularly
1 17 dependent upon the federal Medicare program as a
1 18 source of reimbursement; and
1 19 WHEREAS, the federal Medicare program has not
1 20 increased payments to reflect increased inflation; and
1 21 WHEREAS, the average payment to Iowa hospitals
1 22 through the Medicare program ranked 49th nationally in
1 23 1991; and
1 24 WHEREAS, in 1993 Iowa ranked 50th lowest among the
1 25 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto
1 26 Rico in benefits provided per enrollee in the Medicare
1 27 program; and
1 28 WHEREAS, the average loss to Iowa hospitals per
1 29 case reimbursed through Medicare was projected to be
1 30 $763 per case in 1994; and
2 1 WHEREAS, the loss to Iowa hospitals in 1994 is
2 2 estimated to be $108 million through provision of
2 3 patient services through the Medicare program; and
2 4 WHEREAS, Medicare payments to Iowa's hospitals are
2 5 lower than all surrounding states; and
2 6 WHEREAS, insufficient Medicare reimbursement
2 7 results in cost shifting to private payers, thereby
2 8 complicating efforts to control costs and implement
2 9 health reforms; and
2 10 WHEREAS, Medicare reimbursement levels are
2 11 established by the federal government; NOW THEREFORE,
2 12 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE
2 13 SENATE CONCURRING, That the Congress of the United
2 14 States be requested to provide funds to increase
2 15 reimbursement levels to Iowa hospitals and health care
2 16 providers under the Medicare program, to more fully
2 17 reflect the cost of services provided to Medicare
2 18 recipients; and
2 19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this
2 20 resolution be transmitted to the Speaker of the United
2 21 States House of Representatives, the President of the
2 22 United States Senate, and all members of Iowa's
2 23 congressional delegation.
2 24 LSB 1732HH 76
2 25 pf/sc/14.1
Text: HCR00034 Text: HCR00036 Text: HCR00000 - HCR00099 Text: HCR Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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