Attempts to provide a “doctors’ payment fix” failed in the Senate. Essentially, the bill was attempting to be voted on without a committee hearing, but was defeated in a 53 to 47 vote, 13 Democrats voted with the Republicans.
The bill would “erase the sustainable growth rate (SGR), and reset the debt accumulated from the 1997 law to zero at a cost of about $245 billion.” This legislation is part of a big deal between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), and physician groups such as the American Medical Association (AMA). The AMA was “deeply disappointed in the vote.”
AMA president James Rohack, MD, also noted that the goal of achieving “a permanent repeal of the payment formula is essential to ensuring the security and stability of Medicare, and to improve the health system.” (This is Washington code for don’t count on our support of Health Care Reform now that you botched the doc fix)
Harry Reid was quite disappointed as there is real concern on Capitol Hill that physician groups may jump ship now that the Doc Fix is broken.
Senator Charles Grassley, (R-IA) and Kent Conrad (D-SD) are working to put together for a two year fix which would come out of TARP monies.
Look on the brighter side, there is virtually no political incentive to go to a ten year fix. This is especially true when politicians can count on significant individual donations and PAC contributions from physicians and physician groups each year this pay-cut is looming.