Durbin: President Should Reconsider Veto of Bipartisan Medicare Bill

Press Release

Durbin: President Should Reconsider Veto of Bipartisan Medicare Bill

Legislation passed in the Senate this week that prevents a scheduled 10.6% Medicare payment cut to doctors will ensure better treatment for seniors and military families, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today. Durbin was joined at a news conference on the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act by representatives of the Illinois medical community, senior citizens and organizations that support the legislation.

Even though the legislation passed both the Senate and the House of Representatives by a veto-proof majority, the President has announced his intention to veto the bipartisan bill.

"The strong bipartisan vote for this measure is good for seniors, our military families and the medical professionals who serve them," Durbin said. "Now we need the President to reconsider his opposition and join the overwhelming majority of the House and Senate in supporting Medicare."

If the 10.6% cut in payment were to occur, it would force doctors to make difficult decisions about whether they will continue to see new Medicare patients or stop seeing Medicare patients altogether. A poll showed 60% of physicians reported that this cut would force them to limit the number of new Medicare patients they can treat.

Military families could also feel the impact because physician payments under the TRICARE program are tied to Medicare payments.

The legislation on the President's desk would fix the doctor-payment cut and improve Medicare for seniors and individuals with disabilities by:

* increasing the number of low-income beneficiaries who can receive financial assistance to help cover the cost of premiums, copayments, and deductibles.
* moving Medicare toward mental health parity by phasing out the discriminatory higher copayments Medicare now requires for mental health services.
* making it easier to add preventive benefits to Medicare.

There are also provisions that would help pharmacists, hospitals, physical therapists and speech and occupational therapists, dialysis centers, ambulances, and others. The bill also extends the Special Diabetes Program.

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