DeGette Votes to Bring Long Overdue Medicare Payments to America's Physicians

Advocates for Permanent Fix

WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Diana DeGette (D-CO) issued the following statement regarding House passage of the Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries Ace (H.R. 3962):

"For too long the physicians who care for America's seniors have had to live in limbo, while we in Congress attempted to stave off – month-to-month - the 21% cut in Medicare payments that went into effect June 1. Today, that limbo is finally set to end, as we send the Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries Act to President Obama's desk. Often referred to as the SGR (Sustainable Growth Rate) Fix, the Act will retroactively reverse the cut back to June 1, while also providing a 2.2 percent update to physician payments.

However, while Colorado doctors and physicians around the nation can breathe a sigh of relief today, that relief will be short-lived. The extension expires November 30, and unless we in Congress finally take the crucial measure of developing a permanent solution, doctors will once again be forced to return hat-in-hand. Before the next expiration we must fight for doctors across the US, so we can ensure that America's seniors continue to receive the quality care they deserve."

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