In view of the limited time available to hear the witness, oral testimony at this hearing will be from the invited witness only.  However, any individual or organization not scheduled for an oral appearance may submit a written statement for consideration by the Committee and for inclusion in the printed record of the hearing.

BACKGROUND:

MedPAC advises Congress on Medicare payment policy.  The Commission is required by law to submit its annual advice and recommendations on Medicare payment policy by March 15.  In its March report to the Congress, MedPAC is required to review and make recommendations on payment policies for specific provider groups, including hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, physicians, Medicare Advantage plans, and other providers.

In announcing the hearing, Chairman Herger stated, “MedPAC provides valuable technical advice and counsel to Congress on the Medicare program, ranging from recommendations on payment adequacy to ways in which we can improve the delivery and quality of care for seniors and people with disabilities.  This hearing will offer the Subcommittee an opportunity for an in-depth exploration of MedPAC’s recent recommendations and their impact on the Medicare program and its beneficiaries.  As we confront the issues surrounding implementation of the health care overhaul law passed last year and the continued need to reform entitlement programs, the information we receive from MedPAC will be more important than ever.”

FOCUS OF THE HEARING:

The hearing will focus on MedPAC’s March 2011 Report to the Congress on Medicare payment policies.

DETAILS FOR SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN COMMENTS:

Please Note: Any person(s) and/or organization(s) wishing to submit for the hearing record must follow the appropriate link on the hearing page of the Committee website and complete the informational forms.  From the Committee homepage, https://waysandmeans.house.gov, select “Hearings.”  Select the hearing for which you would like to submit, and click on the link entitled, “Click here to provide a submission for the record.”  Once you have followed the online instructions, submit all requested information.  ATTACH your submission as a Word document, in compliance with the formatting requirements listed below, by the close of business on Tuesday, March 29, 2011.  Finally, please note that due to the change in House mail policy, the U.S. Capitol Police will refuse sealed-package deliveries to all House Office Buildings.  For questions, or if you encounter technical problems, please call (202) 225-1721 or (202) 225-3625.

FORMATTING REQUIREMENTS:

The Committee relies on electronic submissions for printing the official hearing record.  As always, submissions will be included in the record according to the discretion of the Committee.  The Committee will not alter the content of your submission, but we reserve the right to format it according to our guidelines.  Any submission provided to the Committee by a witness, any supplementary materials submitted for the printed record, and any written comments in response to a request for written comments must conform to the guidelines listed below.  Any submission or supplementary item not in compliance with these guidelines will not be printed, but will be maintained in the Committee files for review and use by the Committee.

1. All submissions and supplementary materials must be provided in Word format and MUST NOT exceed a total of 10 pages, including attachments.  Witnesses and submitters are advised that the Committee relies on electronic submissions for printing the official hearing record.

2. Copies of whole documents submitted as exhibit material will not be accepted for printing. Instead, exhibit material should be referenced and quoted or paraphrased.  All exhibit material not meeting these specifications will be maintained in the Committee files for review and use by the Committee.

3. All submissions must include a list of all clients, persons and/or organizations on whose behalf the witness appears.  A supplemental sheet must accompany each submission listing the name, company, address, telephone, and fax numbers of each witness.

The Committee seeks to make its facilities accessible to persons with disabilities.  If you are in need of special accommodations, please call 202-225-1721 or 202-226-3411 TTD/TTY in advance of the event (four business days notice is requested).  Questions with regard to special accommodation needs in general (including availability of Committee materials in alternative formats) may be directed to the Committee as noted above.

Note: All Committee advisories and news releases are available on the World Wide Web at http://www.waysandmeans.house.gov/.