Burgess Sends Letter Opposing “Mystery Caller” Program, HHS Stops Program
Washington,
June 30, 2011
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Whitney Thompson
(202-225-7772)
This week, Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (Texas-26) sent a letter to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), requesting that the “mystery caller” program that HHS had proposed to see if there is adequate access to primary care and whether private insurance beneficiaries receive different service than those with public insurance be halted until further evaluation of program’s approach be conducted by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and the Committee on Ways and Means, as well as the Senate Finance Committee.
Burgess Sends Letter Opposing “Mystery Caller” Program, HHS Stops Program Washington, D.C. – This week, Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (Texas-26) sent a letter to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), requesting that the “mystery caller” program that HHS had proposed to see if there is adequate access to primary care and whether private insurance beneficiaries receive different service than those with public insurance be halted until further evaluation of program’s approach be conducted by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and the Committee on Ways and Means, as well as the Senate Finance Committee. "I do not know why HHS would be spending time and money trying to find out information we already know,” said Dr. Burgess who is the Vice Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health and Chairman of the Congressional Health Care Caucus. “The data they were trying to collect will only point to what most doctors will already tell you, we need more doctors. In addition, we need to enact policies that make public insurance more attractive to provider participated and despite its own flaws, in general, private insurance is more attractive to providers.” The same day Dr. Burgess sent the letter, HHS publicly announced that they were suspending the program, “After reviewing feedback received during the public comment period, we have determined that now is not the time to move forward with this research project. Instead, we will pursue other initiatives that build on our efforts to increase access to health care providers nationwide.” “I was relieved to hear that HHS was suspending this program,” said Dr. Burgess. “The approach that HHS planned to take would yield unintended consequences and would have only further driven physicians away from public insurance. The “mystery caller approach” does not serve the integrity of these public programs or their beneficiaries.” To view the letter Dr. Burgess sent to Secretary Sebelius click here. ### |
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