CONGRESS FAILS! July 1 Medicare Cut Imminent

The Senate has failed to pass HR 6331 by only one vote! Texas Senators Hutchison and Cornyn turned their back on patients and physicians after promising for months to stop the impending cut to reimbursement rates. Josie Williams, MD, TMA President states, "Either Senator Hutchison or Senator Cornyn could have made the difference. Instead they chose to play partisan politics with our patients' health and voted to defend unnecessary overpayments to Medicare Advantage health plans."

There were two options after the vote: a short extension to allow two parties to come to an agreed bill, or a retroactive fix developed after the cut has already been implemented. Unfortunately, the motion to extend the current policy by Sen. Mitch McConnell failed as well. Our only hope now is a retroactive fix, but the damage will already be done.

Whispers around Congress were that Sen. Baucus and Sen. Grassley had come to an agreement just before Tuesday's vote in the House, but House Democrats decided to shelve the proposition because of the perceived strenght in HR 6331.

This is truly an unfortunate display of bipartisan politics and physicians are encouraged to contact Senators Hutchison and Cornyn and tell them how this will affect you.

Read: TMA - Tell Cornyn and Hutchison Their Vote was Wrong

Read: AMA - Press Release