WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), a member of the U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, on Monday announced that he will support the agreement struck between the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives on legislation to overhaul access to veterans’ health care. The compromise reached will provide Kansas veterans with greater access, choice and flexibility in health care providers and increase accountability and transparency at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Sen. Moran is a cosponsor of the Veterans Choice Act, the Senate version of the legislation that has been agreed upon to address the most pressing concern — giving veterans access to care in light of the ongoing VA scandal.

“I am pleased the Senate and House have not walked away from this issue and I look forward to supporting this compromise,” Sen. Moran said. “This legislation is another important step toward ensuring veterans no longer struggle with unacceptable wait times at VA facilities by giving certain veterans the option of seeing their local physician. Our nation’s veterans should be treated like patriots, deserving of care from a grateful nation – not made to feel like a burden. I will not rest until Kansas veterans have a Department of Veterans Affairs worthy of their service and sacrifice.”

By KHI NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Medicare Trustees today projected that the trust fund that finances Medicare’s hospital insurance coverage will remain solvent until 2030, four years beyond what was projected in last year’s report.
Due in part to cost controls implemented in the Affordable Care Act, per capita spending is projected to continue to grow slower than the overall economy for the next several years.
“The Medicare Hospital Insurance trust fund is projected to be solvent for longer, which is good news for beneficiaries and taxpayers,” said Marilyn Tavenner, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). “We have made major progress in improving patient safety, decreasing hospital readmissions, and establishing new payment models such as accountable care organizations aimed at reducing costs and improving quality. These reforms slow the rise in health care spending while improving the quality of care for beneficiaries.”

A number of factors have contributed to the improved outlook, including lower-than-expected program spending in 2013 and lower projected utilization in the types of health care needed by Medicare patients.

Medicare spending per beneficiary has grown quite slowly over the past few years and is projected to continue to grow slowly over the next several years. During the past four years, per capita Medicare spending growth has averaged 0.8 percent annually, much more slowly than the average 3.1 percent annual increase in per capita Gross Domestic Product and national health expenditures over the same period.

Officials said although the Medicare Part B premium for 2015 will not be determined until later this year, the preliminary estimates indicate it will remain unchanged from the 2013 premium for the second consecutive year.

In 2013, Medicare covered 52.3 million people, including almost 450,000 Kansans.

The program covers about 43.5 million people ages 65 and older and 8.8 million people with disabilities.

CMS officials said that about 28 percent of the beneficiaries have chosen to enroll in Part C private health plans that contract with Medicare to deliver Part A and Part B health services. Total expenditures in 2013 were $582.9 billion. Total income was $575.8 billion.

The Medicare Trustees are U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell, Treasury Secretary and Managing Trustee Jacob Lew, Labor Secretary Thomas Perez, and Acting Social Security Commissioner Carolyn Colvin. Two other members are public representatives appointed by the President, subject to confirmation by the Senate. Charles Blahous III and Robert Reischauer began serving on Sept. 17, 2010. CMS Administrator Tavenner is the board’s secretary.

PETER SVENSSON, AP Technology Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s a battle pitting the nation’s airlines against their passengers, and the first round has gone to the industry.

The House used a voice vote Monday to approve a bipartisan bill letting airline advertising emphasize the base price of their airfares. That’s before taxes and fees are added.

The legislation would roll back federal regulations that since 2012 have required airlines to most prominently feature the full price in their advertising — including those fees.

But airlines — backed by pilots’ and flight attendants’ unions — say including taxes and fees in their advertised prices hurts business and hides from consumers the extra costs that government imposes on air travel.

Consumer groups say advertising the pre-tax fare is misleading.

So far there is no Senate version of the bill.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic challenger Paul Davis has raised more in contributions this year than Republican Gov. Sam Brownback, but the incumbent is entering the fall campaign with more cash on hand.

Finance reports filed Monday by the two campaigns show Davis raised more than $1.1 million in cash contributions from January through July 24. Brownback’s total was about $744,000.

But Brownback’s campaign also received a $500,000 loan on July 23 from Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer. He made a similar loan in December, only to see it paid back within days in early January.

The Davis campaign reported nearly $566,000 for the period and had $1.32 million in cash left. Brownback spent about $370,000 on his campaign and ended with $2.37 million in cash.

By KHI News Service

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, Colo. (AP) — Officials have released the name of a man whose body was found on Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Park spokeswoman Kyle Patterson says a climber was on the Keyhole Route of the 14,259-foot peak when he and his group saw the body 18-year-old Nicholas L. Hellbusch, of Lenexa, Kansas, below The Ledges area Friday morning.

Park rangers reached the body about three hours later and flew it by helicopter to a nearby meadow. Investigators have not said how Hellbusch died.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill has given $240,000 from her campaign to the Missouri Democratic Party.

Online Ethics Commission records show the contribution to the Missouri Democratic State Committee was made last week. They money is intended to help Democrats running for the state Legislature.

Democrats folded their separate House and Senate campaign committees earlier this year and transferred the money to the state party in an attempt to better coordinate their legislative efforts.

McCaskill’s contribution makes her the largest donor to the party for the time being.

Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster has given $200,000 as part of a pledge to contribute $400,000 over four years to the party.

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) – The battle over of a Missouri proposal creating a constitutional right to farm has topped $1 million.

Campaign finance reports filed Monday show that Missouri Farmers Care has spent nearly $800,000 in support of the Aug. 5 ballot proposal while Missouri’s Food for America has spent more than $400,000 opposing it.

Supporters have drawn significant contributions from agricultural groups such as the state soybean, pork and corn associations.

Most of the opposition money has come from the Humane Society of the United States.

Money also has been flowing to supporters of a proposed constitutional amendment raising the sales tax for transportation. Their finance reports were expected to show more than $1 million of expenditures for the measure.

The opposition group Missourians for Better Transportation Solutions has spent a little over $22,000.

ERICA WERNER, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — White House officials are making plans to act before November’s midterm elections to grant work permits to potentially millions of immigrants in this country illegally.