House introduces bill to reform Medicare physician payment

5 November 2009

On Oct. 29, 2009 Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) and other House Democrats introduced the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act (H.R. 3961), which would permanently reform Medicare’s physician payment formula. Without congressional action, physicians face a 21 percent payment cut on Jan. 1 under the current Medicare physician fee schedule. The bill was referred to the Energy & Commerce and Ways & Means committees for consideration. Earlier this month, the Senate failed to advance a bill halting the physician pay cut, with opponents arguing the bill would have added to the federal deficit.