Key Messages
ADA works on a broad agenda of food, nutrition and health issues in Washington and in the states. In early 2008, our efforts will initially focus on two especially important issues: improving the nutrition provisions of the farm bill and expanding Medical Nutrition Therapy in both Medicare and Medicaid.
These are issues where ADA members are well recognized for their unique knowledge and perspectives. They will be the Key Messages for the 2008 Public Policy Workshop.
Please familiarize yourself with the background for these issues and ADA’s requests to lawmakers.
Farm Bill
Both the House and Senate passed a farm bill last year. Early in 2008, a conference committee between the House and Senate will attempt to draft a compromise version of the bill to send to the President. ADA’s basic message is that that the new farm bill must match new nutrition authorities with necessary resources so all Americans can live in a food and nutrition environment conducive to better health.
ADA’s stance is that the farm bill needs to include:
- funding for food and agriculture research,
- a funded food stamp program that includes a pilot program to help food stamp recipients choose diets consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans,
- initiatives to improve the school food environment through healthful offerings and nutrition education, and
- rebalancing of food and agriculture program benefits.
Nuances of this ADA message will be refined as we approach PPW’s dates, February 4 to 6. However, you can be confident that the content will remain true to ADA’s stance.
MNT
While health care was one of the more contentious issues debated in 2007, Congress was able to pass little more than a band-aid measure dealing with both Medicare reforms and the State Children's Health Insurance Program. The Congress did pass legislation postponing the scheduled reduction in Medicare's physician reimbursement rate, but only until the end of June. As a result, odds are that Congress will consider a Medicare bill in 2008.
The House did pass a bill which would designate MNT as a preventive service for Medicare and as such would waive the 20 percent co-payment charged to beneficiaries. The bill also would give Medicare the authority to expand the MNT benefit in conditions where it is reasonable and necessary for the prevention or early detection of an illness. That bill is still pending in the Senate.
To help build support for the provisions contained in the House-passed bill, ADA members will ask senators to co-sponsor a bill introduced by Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), S. 1161, the Medicare Medical Therapy Act. This gives Medicare the authority to expand the benefit. Representatives serving in the House will be asked to co-sponsor a companion bill, H.R. 2805 introduced by Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA). Members of the House also will be asked to co-sponsor a bill introduced by Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), H.R. 2922 that expands the MNT benefit to cover beneficiaries diagnosed with pre-diabetes and its risk factors.
While Medicaid reform does not appear to be on the Congressional agenda for 2008, ADA still supports S. 755, introduced by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) to require states to provide diabetes screening tests under the Medicaid program for adult enrollees with diabetes risk factors and a comprehensive treatment package including MNT for individuals with diabetes.
After the political tug-of-war in 2007 over SCHIP, no one knows what will happen in 2008. As a compromise, Congress eventually approved a bill that extends the current program until March 2009. Whether in 2008 or 2009 when Congress returns to the issue of expanding SCHIP, ADA will be working to add screening and treatment (including MNT) of children diagnosed with pre-diabetes as covered services.