Jim McDermott: “Well, we ought to do better by our Medicare beneficiaries. They deserve better than being in this back and forth…”

A strong Medicare doesn't mean we turn the program over to the insurance industry, and it doesn't mean we shift more costs on to the beneficiaries.

I intend to carefully scrutinize ideas that may not be in the best interests of the program or the beneficiaries.

At its core, Medicare is a fulfillment of a commitment to the health security of the American people.

We have begun to lay the groundwork for payment reform by passing the IMPACT Act, which will give us the data we need to improve quality in post-acute care settings.