Medicare & Seniors ~ Listen Up !

House Passes “Doc Fix” for Seniors

The U.S. House passed a watered-down version of (H.R. 4213), “The American Jobs, Closing Tax Loopholes, and Preventing Outsourcing Act,” on Friday. The original bill was supposed to extend unemployment benefits, COBRA, and Federal Medicaid assistance to the states, as well as prevent doctors from being subject to scheduled Medicare reimbursement cuts beginning on June 1. The version that passed does include $23 billion in funding to put off 21% cuts in reimbursements to doctors for 19 months. This provision, known as the “Doc Fix,” passed 245-171 and ensures that Medicare beneficiaries have access to quality and affordable medical care. However, the legislation that passed did not include COBRA or Federal Medicaid assistance to the states, after fiscal conservatives scaled back many components of the overall bill. “The ‘Doc Fix’ provision is vital to seniors, as it would ensure that Medicare beneficiaries have access to trusted family physicians and specialists - a pivotal component for maintaining overall health,” “Unfortunately, the version that passed the House is a disappointment, because it did not include funding for several other key priorities. Now we will have to see what the Senate does.” Unemployment benefits passed by a vote of 215-204. A complete tally of the votes will be provided next week.