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Senate moves to block repeal of the Medicare physician payment formula
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Last week, members of the U.S. Senate voted 53-47 against a bill that would repeal the sustainable growth rate formula and provide Medicare physicians with a 0% payment update for 2010 and subsequent years.
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) introduced the Medicare Physician Fairness Act (S. 1776) in an effort to permanently fix the Medicare physician payment system.
“I am disappointed that we did not have the votes to proceed to this critical bill, but I will continue my effort to work with the White House and leadership to strengthen Medicare and shift the focus to paying for quality of care, rather than quantity of treatments,” Stabenow said in a press release.
The bill drew criticism from Democrats and Republicans. Many noted that the proposal to toss out the current Medicare physician payment formula was unpaid for and highlighted the $250 billion price tag of the bill.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called the bill “deficit-expanding.”
“Americans are increasingly alarmed by the expansion of our national debt and this spending binge that we’re putting on the national credit card,” McConnell said in a press release. “They are asking us to do what they have been doing: They want us to take out the scissors and cut the charge card.”
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he is determined to address the flawed payment system and conceded that the issue may have to wait until the conclusion of the larger health care system debate.
“I remain hopeful we can pass a multi-year fix after health insurance reform,” Reid said in a press release. “Our seniors and military families and their doctors deserve no less.”
American Medical Association President J. James Rohack, MD, said he was “deeply disappointed” regarding the Senate’s blockage of the bill and noted that Medicare physicians face a 21% payment cut next year.
“There is widespread agreement among Republicans and Democrats that the formula is broken and needs to be repealed,” Rohack said in a press release.
“Congress created the Medicare physician payment system, and Congress needs to fix this problem once and for all to fulfill its obligation to seniors, baby boomers and military families. Permanent repeal of the Medicare physician payment formula is essential to comprehensive health system reform,” he said.