Hospitals

Senate passes bill delaying Medicare physician payment cut for 2 months

The U.S. Senate passed an amended version of a bill Saturday that postpones a 27.4% Medicarephysician payment decrease scheduled to occur on Jan. 1.

The amended measure delays the payment cut and extends the payroll tax deduction and unemployment compensation for 2 months. It also includes an energy pipeline project. The bill passed by a vote of 89-10.

The House version of the bill, passed Dec. 13, called for a 2-year delay of the Medicare physician payment cut. After the bill’s passage in the Senate, a message on the Senate action was sent to the House for consideration.

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., have registered staunch opposition to the Senate bill and advocated a longer extension of the bill’s key provisions.

The physician payment cut results in part from the sustainable growth rate (SGR), a key factor in annual Medicare payment updates. Various medical societies have called for the SGR to be altered or repealed.

Reference:

 

Source: http://www.orthosupersite.com/view.aspx?rid=90622&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_content=orthopedics

Josh Sandberg

Josh Sandberg is the President and CEO of Ortho Spine Partners and sits on several company and industry related Boards. He also is the Creator and Editor of OrthoSpineNews.

Related Articles

Back to top button