Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act Of 2009

Floor Speech

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Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act, and remind our friends on the other side that this is similar to the 2-minute drill. We do this every year. It's like the 2-minute warning in professional football. H.R. 3961 is about preserving patient choice, which is a fundamental element of our health care system, and very important to the reform measure that we passed about a week ago.

This legislation will ensure that seniors on Medicare and TRICARE across America continue to have access to care and to the physician of their choice. But conversely, this bill also provides physicians with the certainty they need and have been missing to operate their offices in a predictable way and to continue to serve Medicare patients.

It eliminates the steep payment cut scheduled for next year, a cut that, if it were allowed to happen, could reduce physician access across the country. H.R. 3961 is a good piece of legislative work. It increases payments to primary care providers for office visits, and it encourages the formation of accountable health care organizations. It goes a long way in preserving the vital patient-doctor trust contract and to strengthening that relationship.

I urge support of this legislation.

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