On the recordApril 14, 2015
while my colleague is on the floor, I want to commend Senator Cantwell for her superb work on this legislation. Senator Cantwell has really been the leader in the effort to get the Secretary of Health and Human Services to look at alternative payment models in the Medicare Advantage Program. This is a hugely important program for us in the Northwest. It is also, by the way, very extensively used in Minnesota. I think my colleague from Washington State has done particularly important work in also looking, as part of this discussion, at what is called a value-based modifier. Mr. President, I have some thank-yous to make--and I will be very brief--but before I do that, I ask unanimous consent to enter into a colloquy with Senator Cantwell. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
