Hello Win Column!! HR 6331 Enacted

As predicted, President Bush vetoed HR 6331 after the bill passed the House and squeaked by the Senate. But Congress put its proverbial foot down and voted again to support physicians, patients, and medicine as a whole.

The House tally: 383-41
The Senate tally: 70-26

This is only the third time Congress has been able to override a Bush veto. Obviously, those against the bill cite cuts to Medicare Advantage plans as the reason the bill should not be enacted.

Bush wrote in his veto message: "I support the primary objective of this legislation, to forestall reductions in physician payments. Yet taking choices away from seniors to pay physicians is wrong."

Democrats (and most of the Republicans in Congress!) argue that while this "limits" choices of plan for Medicare patients, it increases access to care for these patients. Physicians threatened to close their practice to Medicare patients if the cut was not fixed.

So there it is folks, we won. Granted, there are plenty more battles to be fought, but we can breath a little at least for a few days.

Now what happens? Stay tuned!