It's hard to get truly excited about the fair-to-middlin' health care reform package now pending final debate and a vote later today, because it really stood just a few cruel Blue Dog votes away from producing an ironically cheaper (and more effective) bill they couldn't support. Kurt Schrader in the OR 5th echoed the refrain from other Western/rural Democrats who complained that Medicare +5% provider reimbursements under the public plan would penalize the more efficient Oregon providers, who get much less than doctors in other states for the same services.
It's a fair argument--but it's also something that can be dealt with; Congressman Blumenauer (OR-3) last month reached an agreement to insert into the current bill a call for study of Medicare rates prior to 2013, with its recommendations to be taken by the developers of the public plan, the idea being to geographically adjust provider rates more fairly, and begin rewarding efficiencies rather than paying less as a "reward."
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