Statement of Congressman John D. Dingell, Ranking Member
Committee on Energy and Commerce

SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTH HEARING
“USE OF IMAGING SERVICES: PROVIDING APPROPRIATE CARE FOR MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES”

July 18, 2006

Mr. Chairman, while addressing issues about imaging services in Medicare certainly is important, my constituents talk to me more about the Part D drug benefit than they do about imaging services. I note that the Minority Members still have not had the opportunity, as is afforded to us under the Rules of the House, to have a hearing on the Medicare Part D drug benefit with witnesses of our choosing.

I am saddened by the inattention to the Rules of the House and the rights of the minority. The Medicare program provides health security for more than 40 million beneficiaries today. Given the addition of a new complicated benefit for prescription medicines where we have evidence that problems exist and improvements should be made, I believe we must hear from all parties, not just Administration witnesses and representatives of companies that are reaping financial gains from the program.

But today you have chosen to focus on imaging services. Some of the problems that will be explored in today’s hearing are yet another example of what goes wrong when legislation is cobbled together and passed in haste. The Deficit Reduction Act, which remains under a legal cloud because of irregularities in its passage, made a number of changes to Medicare payments for diagnostic imaging services – changes that may have overreached in some areas, and under-reached in others.

Payment cuts to meet a budget target are a blunt tool that may result in unintended consequences. Some of the witnesses today will explain to us how not all imaging services are alike and changes appropriate for one set of services may not be appropriate for another type of service.

We will also hear about quality standards to protect patient health and safety. I believe this is an issue we should carefully explore. Our utmost concern should be to ensure beneficiaries have access to the best quality services and we should strive to create a solution that achieves that.

I look forward to testimony of the witnesses here today, and to additional hearings on the Medicare program.

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(Contact: Jodi Seth, 202-225-3641)