Unless some last-minute miracle happens, on March 1, 2010, physicians will lose 21% of their pay for Medicare patients. The House has already paved the way for this to be resolved, but the Senate refused to pass even a temporary measure that would stave off the reduced rate of pay, while they figure out what they’re doing with the Healthcare Reform.
Who is behind this? A retiring Republican Senator from Kentucky, Jim Bunning. His complaint? It would add to the national debt. So, Senator, you think physicians should lose anther 21% from an already meager payscale because this one thing would increase the national debt?
It’s not just the doctors who will be hurt by this. Some physicians simply cannot afford the cut and will be forced to stop accepting Medicare payments. Where will those patients go for their healthcare? Perhaps the Senators would care to tell those patients in need exactly why it is that their health is deemed less important than the myriad other items that also increase national debt?
There is some talk of the CMS withholding Medicare payments for the time being, so that the funds can be paid at the proper rate when the checks do get cut. This assumes that the Senate will pass the temporary legislation, and eventually pass a permanent measure to resolve the deficiency. Meanwhile, doctors would end up doing without 100% of their payments for Medicare patients unless and until the Senate acts.
One thing you can be sure of is that they wouldn’t be failing to act if it was their paychecks on the line.
It isn’t the first time Jim Bunning has blocked a bill maliciously. Have a look at what this illustrious Senator’s REAL issue was when he blocked the extension of unemployment benefits. It was about him missing a basketball game?!
Contact information him:
Senator Jim Bunning
316 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Main: 202.224.4343
Fax: 202.228.1373
If the Medicare cuts go through, physicians will be forced to drop out of the program. The Medicare payscale is already lean. Imagine the outcry if physicians (or anyone else) demanded a 21% raise? Of course, I support the government finding the $$$ to fund this, rather than just add to the deficit, but this is not the way that Washington, D.C. operates. Will Medicare patients who are seeing me for screening colonoscopies be satisfied if I only examine 79% of their colons?
It seems like Bunning has been being a rather annoying lame duck alot lately.