SPOTLIGHT: Congress delays Medicare rate cut

The U.S. House of Representatives voted to delay by one month the implementation of a 23 percent reduction in Medicare payments to physicians, Reuters reports. The bill, which was previously approved by the Senate, goes to President Obama for his signature. The rate decrease, part of the sustainable growth rate formula, was set to go into effect on Wednesday. Another rate decrease was planned for Jan. 1. However, Congress has bowed to political pressures applied by the provider community to delay the cuts. Article