Feingold Works to Get Wisconsin Its Fair Share of Medicare Dollars Senator's Legislative Proposal Increases Medicare Reimbursement in Wisconsin March 25, 2002 Spring Green, WI - U.S. Senator Russ Feingold today discussed his new legislative proposal to help Wisconsin get its fair share of Medicare dollars by reforming the Medicare reimbursement system. Feingold's legislation will reduce regional inequities in Medicare spending and reward, rather than punish, states like Wisconsin that deliver high-quality, cost-effective Medicare services. "The distribution of Medicare dollars among the 50 states is grossly unfair to Wisconsin, and much of the Upper Midwest," Feingold said. "Wisconsinites pay payroll taxes just like every American worker, but the Medicare funds we get in return don't come close to matching the money we pay into the program." A portion of the taxes that Wisconsinites pay into the Medicare program is used to subsidize higher reimbursements to health care providers in other parts of the country. As a result, less money is left to pay for health care services for Medicare recipients in Wisconsin. That leaves Wisconsin seniors with a narrower range of health care services than Medicare recipients in most other states. For instance, Medicare beneficiaries in many other areas can choose between an HMO or traditional fee-for-service Medicare, a choice many Wisconsinites do not have. "To give an idea of how inequitable the distribution of Medicare dollars is, imagine identical twins over the age of 65," Feingold explained. "The twins have worked at the same company and received the same salary and paid the same taxes. But if one twin retired to New Orleans, Louisiana, and the other retired in most areas in Wisconsin, they would have vastly different health care options under Medicare. The twin in Louisiana would get much more." Feingold's legislative proposal would reduce the inequities in Medicare payments to Wisconsin's hospitals, physicians, and skilled nursing facilities. It also would establish pilot programs to encourage high-quality, cost-effective Medicare practices. Feingold held his 14th Listening Session of 2002, and his 662nd since he was first elected at the Taliesin Visitor Center beginning at 8:30 a.m. He held his 15th session of the year, and 663rd since he was first elected, at Baraboo Public Library, starting 11 a.m. He held his 16th session of 2002, and 664th since he was first elected, at the Columbus Community Hospital starting at 2:15 p.m. This is Feingold’s tenth year of holding Listening Sessions in every county.

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