Joe Lieberman: “a very important provision is being passed in this year's reconciliation bill establishing Medicare Value- Based…”

“a very important provision is being passed in this year's reconciliation bill establishing Medicare Value- Based Purchasing Programs. Value-based purchasing brings a pay-for- performance provision to Medicare. Senator Grassley and Senator Baucus and the Finance Committee staff on both sides of the aisle have pushed forward an initiative that has been needed for a long time in American health care. I applaud them for their efforts. A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that less than 55 percent of patients in America receive appropriate medical care. This means that if you go to the doctor and have pneumonia there is a good chance you may not receive the right antibiotic; or CPR might be performed on a patient with the incorrect number of breaths; or you may not receive the best surgery for your heart condition. Americans are not systematically receiving appropriate medical treatment. And receiving appropriate medical treatment should not be a matter of luck. We know that it is too easy for Americans to get inappropriate medical care. But there are patient groups throughout our country that are in even more medical danger. Disparities in health care quality in minority groups are well documented. This would mean that a Hispanic or African-American male is less likely to receive the right medication for a heart condition than a White male.…”