Senate Fails To Spare Doctors From Medicare Cuts

AP via Yahoo ^ | 18 June 2010 | STEPHEN OHLEMACHER and RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR

[edpc]

WASHINGTON – The Senate passed legislation Friday to spare doctors a 21 percent cut in Medicare payments — but the last-ditch effort did not come in time.

Moments after the Senate acted, Medicare announced it would begin processing claims it has already received for June at the lower rate. The reason: the House cannot act on the fix until next week.

[edpc]

The bill passed by the Senate delays the cuts until the end of November — after congressional elections — when lawmakers hope the political climate is better for passing a more permanent, and expensive, solution.

Naturally.

[DeaconRed]

"when lawmakers hope the political climate is better for passing a more permanent, and expensive, solution."

DREAM ON MF

[shalom aleichem]

This will automatically take Doctors away from many people age over 65. The Docs can’t and won’t work for free. And Bambi “promised” us that we’d keep our Doctors. Ha.

[FormerACLUmember]

What the hell was ObamaCare all about if it can not/does not solve this simple problem?

[edpc]

A blatant attempt to kick the can down the road late on a Friday afternoon. What bold vision and leadership.

[colorado tanker]

I'm sympathetic to the docs, but this is just wrong. Barry, Harry and Nan flat out lied to the American people that Obamacare would reduce the deficit and the main trick they used was this Medicare reimbursement cut. Republicans said these savings would never be realized because these cuts are always postponed by the "doctor fix." Of course, Barry lied that they'd really do it and his media buddies covered for him. Now, it's coming down just like we said.

I am so over this bunch telling lie after lie after lie.

[what's up]

The legislation, which costs about $6.5 billion, is paid for with a series of health care and pension changes that both Democrats and Republicans agreed to.

Looks like the Dems buckled and forced themselves to pay for the smaller bill.

Good on the Repubs...they stood strong on NOT passing the larger, unpaid bill last night and held the Dems' feet to the fire to pay for this one.

[FormerACLUmember]

For a medical practice with a 50% overhead of fixed expenses(your typical internist or family doctor), a 21% cut equals a 42% cut in the physician’s actual income.

Many doctors will no longer see Medicare cases.

[what's up]

Obama thought he could blackmail the Repubs into passing this later.

Well, they didn't buckle this time.

[CaptainAmiigaf]

Sympathetic to the MD’s indeed. What about the TORT lawyers. Who gets sued when there is NO doctor to go after.
Doctors have become a wonderful “target” when they treat and the treatment fails to work.
Who becomes the “target” when there is NO treatment at all.
I can hear the commercials now, “If you have been injured by having NO treatment for your medical problem, call our 800 number for a message of sympathy”.

[Brian Kopp DPM]

~!@#$%^&*+’s

[CaptainAmiigaf]

Oh Oh. I forgot to put on the Sarcasm tag. “scuse me.
I’m worried about people thinking I feel for the TORT bar.

[colorado tanker]

Don't ask me. The AMA supported this putz’s plan even though it had a Medicare cut and was a bonanza for trial lawyers. Ask them what they plan to do about it.

[NautiNurse]

Who gets sued when there is NO doctor to go after.

BP

[keats5]

“Many doctors will no longer see Medicare cases.”

Until that is made illegal. Then many doctors will quit.

[combat_boots]

Let
Them
Eat
Wagyu

[sickoflibs]

RE :” The Senate passed legislation Friday to spare doctors a 21 percent cut in Medicare payments — but the last-ditch effort did not come in time. Moments after the Senate acted, Medicare announced it would begin processing claims it has already received for June at the lower rate. The reason: the House cannot act on the fix until next week. ...The bill passed by the Senate delays the cuts until the end of November — after congressional elections — when lawmakers hope the political climate is better for passing a more permanent, and expensive, solution....The AMA says continuing financial uncertainty could undermine Medicare, which covers 46 million seniors and disabled people. Physicians may stop taking new Medicare patients, and some may drop out of the program altogether”

It is a shame that Republicans couldn't block this because this fix was specifically removed from Obama-care to make it look deficit neutral to the CBO. The cuts are part of Obama-care. I guess they are scared of getting blamed.

[Richard Kimball]

Work for free, get sued for millions. Sounds like a business plan to me.

[edpc]

Then they’ll get drafted into Obama’s MediCorps, which he’ll properly refer to as “Medi Corpse.”

[colorado tanker]

No worries, I got your drift.

Obviously, the Dems and their parasite trial lawyers think they can bleed the medical profession without killing it. They may have gone too far if Obamacare is ever fully implemented.