Is CMS Equipped To Overhaul Medicare

This is the question Max Baucus is asking.  A massive overhaul of the Medicare system should perhaps be entrusted to a new entity, he suggested. According to him some “very thoughtful people in healthcare” were not certain that CMS was the best for the job.  They might not be able to put new programs together and develop designs according to some.

According to William Corr, on the subject of leadership, Secretary Sebelious is trying to bring outstanding leaders into the program. After several months perhaps different things would be said about the direction CMS is taking.

Meanwhile Baucus said that a major difficulty in crafting health care reform legislation is problems Congressional Budget Office Actuaries are facing in scoring savings in proposals that are submitted. The reason for the difficulty is that many of the proposals are new in conception and have no economic data behind them.

Because health care reforms may be in jeopardy, Baucus is pushing CBO to indicate savings where possible.