Francis Rooney: “Last week the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Office of the Actuary released a memo estimating the financial…”

“Last week the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Office of the Actuary released a memo estimating the financial effects of the new health care law. Not surprisingly, they found that costs will increase and access to care will be threatened as this legislation is implemented over the next 10 years. According to the independent report, ``Providers for whom Medicare constitutes a substantive portion of their business could find it difficult to remain profitable and, absent legislative intervention, might end their participation in the program--possibly jeopardizing access to care for beneficiaries.'' Put simply, the new law will force many doctors to stop seeing Medicare patients, leaving seniors in my district out in the cold. Additionally, the report claims that ``total national health expenditures in the United States during 2010 to 2019 would increase by about 0.9 percent. The additional demand for health services could lead to price increases, cost-shifting, and/or changes in providers' willingness to treat patients with low-reimbursement health coverage.'' The new health care law will drive up costs and make it more difficult for many Americans, especially seniors, to get the care they need.”