Boozman: Pelosi Holding Physician Medicare Payment Rates Hostage

Press Release

Doctors across the country are restricting services to seniors because of cuts to Medicare reimbursements and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) isn't actively pursing a solution to provide the medical services they need.

Arkansas doctors receive one of the lowest reimbursement rates in the country from Medicare and now the physicians face a 21 percent cut as Speaker Pelosi holds Medicare payment rates hostage until the Senate votes to expand other benefits.

U.S. Representative John Boozman (R-AR), an optometrist, urged Speaker Pelosi to bring a Senate-passed bill to the House Floor that eliminate the 21 percent cuts and find a permanent solution to the problem.

"Playing political games with the health services of our seniors is unacceptable. Speaker Pelosi is holding the physician Medicare payment rates hostage as Arkansas seniors are finding it increasingly difficult to get the care they need because physicians are limiting the number of Medicare patients they see and some are refusing new Medicare patients because of these deep cuts. What good is it to have this insurance if a doctor won't accept it?" Boozman said.

Boozman sent a letter today to Speaker Pelosi calling on for her "immediate action" to erase the cuts and called her lack of action a "disregard for our nation's seniors and health care providers." To read the letter in its entirety click here.

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