The new CBO estimate said removing the automatic Medicare physician fee cut would cost nearly $276 billion through 2020 — a figure that is $69 billion higher than previously expected.
The revision was attributed to a higher projected rate of medical inflation due to an improved economy and a higher estimate of the number of Americans who will become Medicare-eligible.
With a 21.2 percent fee cut scheduled to take effect June 1, Congressional Democrats want to introduce a bill to delay cuts for as long as five years.
Read Kaiser Health News’ report on the physician fee fix.
