Brown introduces new initiative to reduce emergency room visits, taxpayer costs
By: Health Insurance
Submitted: 2009-10-26 16:22:25 | Word Count: 595
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today joined U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) to introduce the Reducing Emergency Department Utilization through Coordination and Empowerment (REDUCE) Act (S. 1781), which would address Emergency Room (ER) overuse, improve quality of care, and save taxpayers' money. The legislation would establish pilot programs to better coordinate care for frequent ER users.
"Far too many people rely on Emergency Room services for routine or primary care," Brown said. "By strategically expanding outreach services to frequent ER visitors and better coordinating their care, we can cut the associated costs to taxpayers. This initiative takes an important step toward fixing our broken health care system and improving the quality of care for communities in Ohio and across the country."
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ER overuse and overcrowding are growing problems and pose a health risk to all Americans. Individuals who regularly use ER services often have chronic medical conditions but lack access to a primary care provider or preventive services. A recent Price Waterhouse Coopers report estimates that $14 billion is spent each year in non-emergency ER visits.
The REDUCE Act creates a Medicaid Demonstration Project that promotes targeted individualized care while simultaneously improving our nation's health care safety net. Many Ohio stakeholders and policymakers active in the area of Medicaid cost containment and ER diversion have expressed support for the legislation.
"We applaud Senator Brown's leadership in recognizing the overlap between those experiencing homelessness and frequent users of expensive health services," Corporation for Supportive Housing Ohio Program Director Sally Luken said. "An estimated 20,000 Ohioans are in need of comprehensive health services coupled with stable housing. Nearly half of them have been homeless for long periods of time and are frequent users of costly, crisis health care. We know that a one day stay in an Ohio medical hospital is about $1,500, whereas one day in permanent supportive housing, with access to preventive healthcare, is less than $35 a day. The comprehensive, coordinated benefits created by the REDUCE Act represent the best kind of health reform possible."
"By reducing Medicaid costs, Ohio can reallocate critical resources to other programs assisting our residents with the greatest needs," Director of the Ohio Department of Development and Chair of the Interagency Council on Homelessness and Affordable Housing Lisa Patt-McDaniel said. "Understanding the economic consequences of frequent users of emergency services, we recently established a Medicaid Workgroup charged with building partnerships between Medicaid and Housing. This subgroup of our Interagency Council on Homelessness and Affordable Housing ensures more effective services and support for people with disabilities and other vulnerable populations."
The legislation is also endorsed by the American Academy of Family Physicians, the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the Corporation for Supportive Housing, and the American Osteopathic Association.
Brown is working to improve our nation's health care system. As a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Brown is an active voice in enacting health insurance reform that works for middle class families and small businesses. He recently led 29 of his Senate colleagues in drafting a letter to Senate leadership in support of a public insurance option to increase competitiveness in the insurance market driving down costs, and improving quality and affordability of care.
