Healthcare
Health issues affect us all and determining the best means of addressing them is an important part of my work in Congress.
Prior to being elected to Congress, I spent 28 years as a therapist, rehabilitation services manager and a licensed nursing home administrator. As a result, I’ve learned firsthand the importance of access to quality healthcare in rural communities and have become a strong advocate for increased access, affordability, quality of care, and patient choice. I came to Washington to help address the many challenges we face in healthcare and advance these same principles.
On March 25, 2010, Congress passed sweeping legislation that seeks to fundamentally realign our nation’s health care system. This massive health care overhaul—a remake of one-sixth of our economy—will exacerbate the very problems this reform effort sought to address. I actually sat down and read all 2,000 pages of the healthcare bill. As I read through the measure, I became increasingly alarmed at the level of control over an individual’s health that would be vested in the federal government. Since passage of this bill, my worst nightmares have become a reality as the law’s implementation continues to drive up costs, saddle small businesses with burdensome regulations, and imposes unfunded mandates on the Commonwealth, by shifting costs from the federal government to the states. We must repeal this law and move forward with commonsense reforms that will improve our nation’s healthcare system and provide even greater access to more Americans.
During this Congress, I’ve introduced several pieces of legislative that offer real reform to key areas of healthcare and care delivery. In March, I formally introduced H.R. 1041, the Fairness in Medicare Bidding Act, deficit neutral legislation to fix the Medicare Durable Medical Equipment Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) competitive bidding program. Created under the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, the DMEPOS program’s goal is to create cost savings. However, both provider and consumer groups have illustrated problems with the program, which will force smaller suppliers from the market, threaten Medicare beneficiaries’ quality of care and ultimately drive up costs. We must allow for a marketplace where seniors have quality and choice and smaller, local providers are competing to deliver these supplies.
For more information concerning my work and views on Health issues, please contact my Washington, DC office.
I look forward to your feedback.
Thank you.
Related Items
- Health Reform Built to Fail: How Medicare rigs competitive bidding and hurts patients (Wall Street Journal)
- House Passes Bill to Protect Medicare & Lower Healthcare Costs while keeping Congress Accountable to the American Public
- Two Years Later, Healthcare Law’s Broken Promises and Uncertainty Continues
- Thompson, Berkley Introduce Medicare Orthotics and Prosthetics Improvement Act of 2011
- Thompson, Altmire Begin Bipartisan Push for Fairness in Medicare Bidding Act
- Report Shows Medicare Will Become Insolvent Sooner Than Expected
- Rep. Burgess and I Discuss the Recently Released Medicare Trustees Report
- We’ve Reached 75 Cosponsors Supporting H.R. 1041, the Fairness in Medicare Bidding Act
- Fix Medicare's Bizarre Auction Program (New York Times Blog)
- Thompson to Federal Trade Commission: Proposed Pharmacy Management Merger Would Negatively Impact Rural Communities
- Discussing the Role of Hospitals in Contributing to Economic Growth
- Thompson Votes To Repeal Health Care Bill
More on Healthcare
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson released a statement in response to the U.S. Department of Labor’s new rule that expands health care access for millions of Americans who are employed by small businesses.
Many small businesses and their employees have struggled with government restrictions that limit access to quality, affordable health coverage. This Association Health Plan (AHP) reform will address many of the inequities between small and large businesses in access to that coverage.
Award recognizes legislators who have aggressively pushed for technology-enabled solutions to spur improvements in healthcare
Vote to repeal and replace Obamacare passes House
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson issued the following statement after the House voted to pass the American Health Care Act:
“Today, I voted in favor of repealing and replacing Obamacare and to advance a bill that aims to create a health care system that works for all Americans. Obamacare has been failing with one in three counties in the country now only having access to one insurance provider, out of control premiums, and limited choices for consumers.
Measures promote competitive and innovative coverage
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson today voted in favor of two bills that will make important reforms to the healthcare industry.
The Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act will reduce healthcare costs for consumers by ensuring competition in the health insurance industry.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (PA-05) this week approved a number of legislative proposals to expand affordable health care for working families and promote a healthy workforce.
During action in the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, Thompson examined three bills as part of a broader effort to replace Obamacare with free-market, patient-centered reforms:
Bill would direct Medicare to once again cover recreational therapy for patients
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA) and G.K. Butterfield (D-NC) today reintroduced legislation that would direct the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to cover physician-prescribed recreational therapy services.
Washington, DC - U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson (PA-05) today announced the awarding of grant funds for a diabetes education program in six rural Pennsylvania counties. The funding, totaling $295,562 was awarded by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to the Pennsylvania State University’s Dining with Diabetes Program. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) those affected with diabetes had medical expenditures that were 2.3 times higher than those without diabetes.
Washington, D.C. – Today, the House of Representatives approved H.R. 1190, the bipartisan Protecting Seniors’ Access to Medicare Act. This legislation would repeal the sections of the Affordable Care Act that establish the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), a group of fifteen unelected members tasked with instituting cost constraints on Medicare.