No movement on Medicare pay fix in Senate

I'm sure Part B News will post something soon. The extension bill, holding off the 21% cut, was passed in the Senate last night. So everything is OK until the end of March

So we have a lame-duck Senator of advanced age spending his sunset hours as a legislator yelling at clouds and everyone just stands around and takes this kind of behavior with a grain of salt?  

Solution: Make Bunning remain on the floor until he physically cannot continue, then conduct the vote. It should take no more than 36 hours.

I was never a fan of President Bush, but I don't think he had a choice about doing some sort of bank bail-out. Things were very bad in Sept 2008. However clearly it should have been structured so that is didn't result in bonuses and other abuse.

As for this crazy 21% Medicare cut, I don't think it is what anyone wants and simply reflects the crazy gridlock in Congress. Primary care physicians suffer enough without this on top of it. Yes- let's all tell our Senators and Representatives that they have a responsibility to enact thoughtful reform.

This is ridiculous.  I agree they bail Wallstreet out on our dollars and they refuse to address the concerns of the American people.  I am so sick of each of they professing to know what concerns the American people when in reality, they are so out of touch with reality.  We need some common sense individuals in government.  Extending the the doc fix only band aids the issue this whole calculation of fees is a broken issue which needs to be revamped.  Pretty soon, physician will not want to see Medicare patients.  Between the OIG, RAC and below cost reimbursement, is it worth it?  Congress needs to wake up and REALLY start representing the American people and just not talking about doing their job.  I say send them all packing if they can't get it together!!!

Seriously, what is Congress thinking.  A year or more ago they had no problem with bank bail outs....most of whom have taken bonuse last year, yet it seems now they are more than willing to penalize the professionals who care for our population. Have they looked at the fee schedule?  How do they expect physicians to pay their daily overhead, let alone malpractice premimums?  Have they really considered the trickle down effect of this pay cut?  Physicians potentially dropping participation, staffing cuts...the list goes on.