WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Olympia J. Snowe, R-Maine, and Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., are sponsoring legislation to expand access to geriatric care for seniors under the Medicare program. Both senators are members of the Senate Finance Committee, which will consider the legislation.

“As the senior population continues to grow, it is increasingly essential that we offer access to specialized medical care that can better understand the special needs of America’s seniors. Indeed, in light of looming demographic changes as baby boomers retire, geriatrics will be a vital thread in the fabric of our health care system,” said Snowe, who is the ranking member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health.

Maine’s elderly population is expected to increase from 13.9 percent in 1995 to 21.4 percent in 2025, reflecting one of the highest percentage of seniors over the age of 65 in the nation. Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, Maine currently has the 14th highest number of elderly as a percent of population – expected to rise to 12th highest by 2025.

Lincoln and Snowe have introduced the Geriatric Care Act, S.775, designed to increase the number of specialists through training incentives and Medicare reimbursement of geriatric care. The legislation will improve access by modernizing the Medicare fee schedule and acknowledging the importance of geriatric assessment and care coordination in providing health care for seniors.

The legislation authorizes Medicare coverage of services of seniors, helping doctors better manage medications, encourage health providers to work as a team, and to provide a greater level of support for caregivers.