On the recordAugust 1, 2019
Mr. President, I think we should save the taxpayers a lot of money by giving States more options under Medicaid. Unlike Medicare and private insurance, Medicaid doesn't incentivize bundled payments. This prevents States from testing a method that could potentially save money. The bipartisan prescription drug pricing reform legislation I introduced with Senator Wyden allows States to collect rebates from drugs in outpatient settings. This removes an existing exemption in statute for some outpatient drugs and allows States to more completely utilize and test bundled payments to possibly save money. Giving States flexibility allows them to focus on the best care for different populations. Encouraging bundled payments in Medicaid would do just that. I yield the floor. ____________________
