ADVOCACY SPOTLIGHT A Conversation with US Senator


Mike Crapo (R-ID) Personal experience shapes the senator’s interest in ASCs.


ASCA: What made you decide to run for Congress?


CRAPO: In the 1970s, I served an internship on Capitol Hill with Idaho 2nd District Representa- tive Orval Hansen. It was an eye-opening experi-


ence, as it occurred during the summer of the Watergate break-in, and it helped spur my interest in the political process and public service. Politics also played a large part in my personal life, as my brother Terry Crapo served in the Idaho House of Representatives when I was young. Terry served four years as ma- jority leader and was seen as a rising star in Idaho politics. Unfortunately, he passed away from leukemia in 1982. Before his passing, I was very active in the Republican Party, serving as Bonneville County precinct committee- man, focusing on congressional races at the local, county and state levels. I was also active in campaigns for seats in the state legislature and was prompted to run for the open Idaho Senate seat in 1984. I was elected and served in the Idaho Sen- ate until 1992, when I decided to run for Congress representing Idaho’s 2nd


con-


gressional district. I was elected to Con- gress that year, and three terms later, in 1998, I ran for the US Senate.


ASCA: You have been particularly ac- tive in Congress on health care issues, and specifically on ASC issues. What got you interested? CRAPO: In 1999, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and I know firsthand how important the decisions made at the congressional level are to both patients and professionals in the health care in- dustry. Consumers and providers should be free from excessive government in- terference with their health care choices.


these choices, they will reward innova- tive providers and insurers who reduce costs and improve quality.


ASCA: You are one of the lead spon- sors of the ASC Quality and Access Act in the Senate. What can ASCA mem- bers do to help you pass this impor- tant piece of legislation? CRAPO: The best way to get this bill passed is to reach out to your elected of- ficials and express your support for this legislation. If your representative and


26 ASC FOCUS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012


Affordable, quality care is important to all families, and the services provided by ASCs are particularly important in rural states like Idaho. Our nation is currently battling a major debt crisis, and ASCs offer the Medicare program and its ben- eficiaries about $2.6 billion in annual savings on program and cost-sharing payments by operating at a reduced rate.


ASCA: What do you hope to accom- plish in the health care arena? CRAPO: Access to quality, affordable health care continues to remain one of our nation’s top challenges. Congress needs to rein in the wasteful and inef- ficient spending in our health care sys- tem and reduce the federal deficit so that programs like Medicare are viable for future generations. Instead of giv- ing the government more power over health care, individual patients must be given more control, choice and infor- mation to make their health care deci- sions. When individual patients have


senators are already supportive, create some grassroots advocacy and commu- nity involvement by encouraging your family and friends to do the same. If you have used, worked for or currently work for an ASC, share the story that the quality and efficiencies that ASCs create should be rewarded in the health care system.


ASCA: Please provide your insights into future challenges ASCs are likely to confront in this session of Congress and in the future. How can ASCs pre- pare to meet those challenges? CRAPO: Congress will continue to de- bate ways to reduce the nation’s deficit and make our financial future secure. Medicare is on a path that will lead to insolvency and loss of benefits and quality health care to all. To fix our financial future, we must find ways to preserve and strengthen our cur- rent Medicare system while protecting benefits and rewarding value in health care. ASCs present a unique opportu- nity because they have already shown quality outcomes and remain highly efficient systems for delivering care. They are facilities operating in ways that the rest of the system needs to


ASCs . . . have already shown quality outcomes and remain highly efficient systems for delivering care.”


—US Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID)


emulate, developing leaner and higher quality services with fewer resources. As Congress continues to work on ways to deliver higher quality care, I plan to highlight the work that is cur- rently being done by ASCs. The ASC community should be prepared to con- tinue to offer these lower cost alterna- tives and support these claims with data and models for others who wish to learn from the industry.


Steve Miller, ASCA’s director of government and public affairs, interviewed Senator Crapo.


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