WASHINGTON D.C. – Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) released the following statement today after the House passed several pieces of legislation that will help Eastern Washington patients – including seniors – have more control and more choices with their health care choices.

“I hear regularly from patients and caregivers who are frustrated by burdensome federal policies that interfere with their health care choices. As their voice in Congress, it is my goal to cut the red tape and empower people to access the best care possible – and today, that is exactly what I did. I spoke for rural communities like those in Clarkston and Republic when I votedto improve seniors’ access to affordable and reliable durable medical equipment. I spoke for families across Eastern Washington to keep our trauma care centers open so that they can rely on them when they need them most. And I spoke for all patients when I voted to increase transparency in the hospital admissions process. Patient-centered care comes from the ground up, and I am committed to advancing solutions like these to give people more choices when it comes to health care.”

H.R. 876, the Notice of Observation Treatment and Implication for Care Eligibility (NOTICE) Act, advocates for patients by ensuring hospitals are transparent about the admittance status of any patient in the hospital for over 24 hours. Within 36 hours, the hospital will be required to notify patients whether they have been “admitted for inpatient” or “admitted for observation.” This distinction impacts whether or not they qualify for certain care options. For example, a patient cannot be admitted to a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) unless they have had a “qualifying hospital stay” which is defined as a three day inpatient stay.

H.R. 284, Medicare DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Improvement Act of 2015, as amended levels the playing field by strengthening the competitive bidding process for durable medical equipment (DME) in Medicare. It helps rural communities across Eastern Washington by promoting fair competition and good service while ensuring seniors greater access to these important supplies. This legislation also helps companies in Eastern Washington keep their doors opens by ensuring a reliable and fair bid process.

H.R. 648, the Trauma Systems and Regionalization of Emergency Care Reauthorization Act, reauthorizes certain trauma care programs through fiscal year 2020, and requires the inclusion of standards and requirements of the American Burn Association in trauma care modifications of a state plans for providing emergency medical services.