Senate may roll back 10 percent Medicare fee cut for MDs

As we've reported here previously, Medicare is poised to slash physician fee schedules by 10 percent next year. In previous years, however, when cuts like this have been proposed, Congress has ridden in on its white horse and stopped CMS from implementing such reductions. Now, it looks as though the Senate is considering a measure which would put a stop to next year's cuts. The Senate Finance Committee is now considering a package by Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-MT) which would suspend the reduction for two years, prevent reductions in rehabilitation therapy and increase reimbursement for rural providers. However, it's also considering a proposal by committee ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) which would only impose a one-year suspension of the reduction, one which would also call for a lesser decrease in payments to Medicare Advantage health plans.

To learn more about the debate:
- read this Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report article

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