Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions
Floor Speech
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS -- (Senate - July 11, 2007)
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By Mr. WYDEN (for himself, Mr. Lott, and Mrs. Feinstein):
S. 1767. A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide an exception to the 60-day limit on Medicare reciprocal billing arrangements between two physicians during the period in which one of the physicians is ordered to active duty as a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces; to the Committee on Finance.
Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, today, along with my colleague, Senator Lott, I am introducing legislation to fix an unforeseen problem that unfairly affects the ability of physicians called up to duty in the National Guard and Reserve to maintain their practices while they are serving our country.
Under the Medicare rules, a doctor who is absent from his practice can enter into a reciprocal billing arrangement with another doctor, who cares for the absent physician's patients and bills Medicare accordingly. However, these arrangements cannot last longer than 60 days. After 60 days, a second replacement must be found. Failure to find a replacement can mean losing patients to other doctors or providing care that won't be reimbursed by Medicare.
For doctors called up to active National Guard or Reserve duty, finding physicians to cover their patients while they are gone is hard enough, especially if they have practices in remote and rural areas.
Asking these doctors to find replacements every 60 days is just too much. These folks are already making tremendous sacrifices for all Americans, and there is no good reason to ask them to shoulder this additional burden, along with all the other challenges that they must confront while they are called up to active duty. The least Congress can do is ensure that these brave men and women aren't also asked to sacrifice their medical practices.
In May, the House of Representatives passed a bill introduced by Congressman Mike Thompson, and Congressman Sam Johnson that temporarily suspended the 60 day rule through the end of the year. Senator Lott and I are introducing the same piece of legislation today. We are also introducing a bill that will provide a permanent fix to this problem; Congressman Thompson and Congressman Johnson are also introducing the permanent fix today in the House.
I urge the Senate to pass both pieces of legislation as soon as possible. These doctors are making enormous sacrifices and are responsible for saving countless lives. We owe it to them to ensure that when they come home, their medical practices remain viable. Fixing this Medicare rule will help ensure this.
I ask unanimous consent that the text of S. 1767 and S. 1768 be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bills was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:
S. 1767
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