Sen. Reid Moves to End Debate of Bill to Stop Annual
Medicare Pay Cuts for Doctors
Most suggest he has the votes that can stop more
physicians from dropping their senior citizen Medicare patients
Health On The
Hill Video,
June 15, 2010 - The Senate is debating ways to reverse a 21
percent cut in Medicare physician payments that began on June 1.
The legislation would also include additional Medicaid money for
states. Meanwhile, the Department of Health and Human Services
released new guidelines that would determine whether or not “grandfathered”
health insurance plans could retain that status.
June 15, 2010 – The permanent fix to the annual pay
cuts for doctors for treating Medicare patients may be close to a
solution. This year’s cut will be 21 percent if Democrats are not
successful with new legislation. The American Medical Association says
pay must be restored or many, many physicians will stop treating
Medicare patients. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid yesterday filed a
motion to stop debate on the bill that includes the pay fix and debate
is underway.
The a bill that includes $140 billion in spending
on items such as extended unemployment benefits, enhanced Medicaid
payments to states and a fix to keep Medicare reimbursements to doctors
from being trimmed, according to
Roll Call. The move suggests Reid thinks he is close to having the
votes for passage.
"The Senate likely will vote on the motion to end
debate Wednesday, teeing up a final passage vote by the end of the week
if Reid can hold together 60 Members to support the bill," writes
Jessica Brady in a
Roll Call report yesterday.
In a separate story,
Roll Call says the moves came after Reid rejected a GOP alternative
to the bill. The GOP alternative would have extended the unemployment
insurance, state assistance for Medicaid and Medicare payments to
doctors for 30 days.
"The House-passed extenders package is entering its
third week on the Senate floor, where it has languished as some
Democrats express concerns over its $140 billion cost. Reid and other
top Democrats have been working behind the scenes to rally enough
support to pass the measure, which would extend funding for unemployment
benefits until November and Medicaid funding for an additional year,”
according to Brady.
“The Medicaid provision was stripped from the House
bill to win enough votes for passage before Memorial Day, but Senate
Democrats are hoping to pass legislation that restores it. That would
mean the bill would return to the House for another vote."
Some Democrats apparently remain unwilling to
accept the high cost of the bill and the deficit spending it would
bring, Brady suggests.
Dr. J. James Rohack, president of the American
Medical Association, wrote on his blog last week
“It was great to see President Obama yesterday use
his bully pulpit to demand that Congress stop a 21 percent cut in
Medicare physician reimbursements. He also used
the occasion to echo what the AMA has been saying for years: ‘We’ve
got to fix this permanently.’
“Of course, the president was referring to the
flawed sustainable growth rate formula. And I was very happy to see
President Obama stand up for seniors and their physicians in calling for
that permanent fix.
“As I
said last night after hearing the president’s words, the impact on
seniors is very clear. The Senate’s failure to act will force physicians
to reduce the number of Medicare patients they treat. Already, 31
percent of primary care physicians are limiting the number of Medicare
patients they see, according to a new online
survey of physicians.
In my year as president of the AMA, it’s truly
unconscionable that I’ve had to write about this subject so many times.
So enough with words. We need action.
Following the comments by Dr. Rohack, President
Obama, used his radio address to the nation to talk about the pay cuts
for physicians and why they must be stopped.
The President called on Congress to avert a
21 percent cut in payments to physicians who treat Medicare patients in
his weekly
radio address. He also reiterated his commitment to permanent reform
of the Medicare physician payment formula.
"I realize that simply kicking these cuts down the
road another year is not a long-term solution," President Obama said. "I
am committed to permanently reforming this Medicare formula in a way
that balances fiscal responsibility with the responsibility we have to
doctors and seniors."
"We are pleased to see President Obama stand with
seniors and their physicians today to help stop a looming Medicare
meltdown," said AMA
President Rohack, on Saturday
"Already, 31 percent of primary care physicians are
limiting care to Medicare patients, according to a new online survey of
physicians who treat Medicare patients. Congress' mismanagement of the
Medicare program must end to protect and preserve access to health care
for today's seniors and the baby boomers who begin aging into Medicare
next year. "
Results of a new online survey of 9,000 physicians
who care for Medicare patients confirms that seniors are already being
hurt by Congress' Medicare mismanagement. About one in five physicians
(17%) say they have already been forced to limit the number of Medicare
patients in their practice.
The top two reasons physicians gave for limiting
care were the ongoing threat of future cuts and the fact that Medicare
payment rates were already too low. Current Medicare payment rates are
about where they were in 2001 while medical practice costs have
increased 20 percent.
AMA physicians will sign white lab coats with
messages to Congress tomorrow at the AMA
Annual Meeting urging long-overdue immediate action on Medicare for
seniors and for military families who get their health care through
TRICARE, which ties its payment rates to Medicare.
For the complete remarks by the President,
Click Here.
Bill passed with help of only three Republicans,
signed by President last night
