HCFA’s reform of Medicare Technology Coverage Process: Progress and Prognosis
Thursday, February 25th, 1999

1:00 - 2:00 PM in room B-318 Rayburn HOB 

February 10, 1999

Dear Colleague,

Since Medicare began in 1965, the state of health care in America has changed dramatically, especially in the area of medical technology. While federal law provides for the coverage of various categories of benefits, it does not specify a list of covered technologies and services.

Over the past decade, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) has been reviewing different proposals on how best to make these important coverage decisions. HCFA released a draft outline of its proposed Medicare coverage process last July, and the Medical Technology Caucus met that month to learn more about the proposal. In addition, last December, HCFA announced formation of the Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee (MCAC) to replace the disbanded Technology Advisory Committee (TAC).

Given the complexity of these decisions and the critical importance of this issue to the medical technology industry and to Medicare beneficiaries, the Medical Technology Caucus will be inviting representatives from the Administration and the medical technology industry to brief us on the progress that has been made to date and on changes expected this year.

If you have any questions, please contact Megan Ivory (Rep. Ramstad) at 225-2871 or Stacey Rampy (Rep. Eshoo) at 225-8104.

Sincerely, 

JIM RAMSTAD
Co-Chair
ANNA G. ESHOO
Co-Chair