Docs’ win on Medicare too late to stop 21% cut
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NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Doctors who receive Medicare payments won a round Friday in their bid for a raise – but first they’ll suffer a big cut in their government reimbursements.
The Senate passed a bill Friday rescinding a 21% cut and adding a 2.2% increase for Medicare payments. The bill was passed by unanimous consent after lawmakers found a way to pay for the boost without raising the budget deficit.
The bill now goes back to the House of Representatives, which had previously approved it, because of Senate changes to the measure. A Democratic leadership aide said the House would take up the bill early next week. But the delay in congressional action came too late to stop the first reduced Medicare payments to doctors from the scheduled 21.3% cut that went into effect June 1. read more
