Senators Enzi and Hatch Request True Cost Estimate of New Health Care Programs

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.), Ranking Member on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Ranking Member on the Senate Finance Committee, requested that the independent Medicare actuary from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) provide cost estimates of the programs authorized and funded under the new health care law, which make up the Administration’s new Partnership for Patients initiative. 

“We were disappointed that an Administration witness recently testified before the HELP Committee, without any supporting evidence, that this program will save Medicare $10 billion over the next three years,” Senators Enzi and Hatch wrote.  “While we support the goals of reducing hospital acquired infections and preventable complications, we are deeply skeptical that any voluntary government program will fundamentally change the behavior of hospitals and providers to produce such results within three years.” 

Previous analysis from the independent Medicare actuary for CMS questioned the Administration’s claims about how the new law will reduce Medicare spending and highlighted the negative impacts on benefits.

A copy of the letter is attached.

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