House passes the IMPACT Act for Medicare

Washington, DC – Yesterday, the House passed the IMPACT Act – a bi-partisan effort to establish standard data and metrics across all of Medicare’s post hospitalization settings, including nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities. This important information will allow Congress to make future reforms armed with the facts.

“This is the first step towards improving post-acute care for our seniors and it is simply the right thing to do,” said Texas Congressman Kevin Brady, who leads the House Ways & Means Health Subcommittee. “How Medicare takes care of patients once they leave the hospital is just as important – if not more important – than the care they receive while hospitalized. It’s been over a decade since meaningful changes have been made in this important area and the IMPACT Act is a big step towards a 21st Century solution.”

“When such a key program our seniors rely on has a trust fund that is a ticking time bomb, it’s not a Republican or Democrat problem,” added Brady. “Keeping promises to our seniors requires bipartisan action and the IMPACT Act is a vital move towards Medicare’s financial security.”

“The bottom line is seniors in the 8th district of Texas and across the country have paid into Medicare their entire working lives for the promise it will be there when they need it,” concluded Brady. “Having a solvent, reliable trust fund is common sense policy.”