House to Vote on Physician Fee-fix as Early as Tuesday

Tags: Medicare | physician fee fix

As early as Tuesday, the House is expected to vote on a three-year Medicare physician fee fix, part of a $200 billion package of business tax breaks and aid for the jobless, according to a report by the New York Times.

Congressional Democrats hope to approve the spending before June 1, when a 21.3 percent physician fee cut is scheduled to start. On Friday, Congress starts into a week-long Memorial Day recess.

The Washington Post reports some Congressional Democrats are unwilling to vote for the expensive bill with national debt at its highest level in almost 60 years, mid-term elections approaching and Republican challengers targeting spending. The physician fee fix alone would cost $65 million.

Under the proposed fee fix, all physicians treating Medicare patients would get a raise, broken down into a 1.3 percent increase this year and a 1 percent increase in 2011. In 2012 and 2013, physicians involved in primary care and preventive services would get an additional raise amounting to growth in the gross domestic product plus 2 percent, while other doctors would get GDP plus 1 percent.

Read the New York Times' report on the physician fee fix.

Read the Washington Post's report on the physician fee fix.

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