House speaker calls Senate pay patch bill 'inadequate'

by: CHARLES FIEGL Jun 21, 2010

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (photo courtesy of house.gov/pelosi) The Senate's six-month Medicare pay patch proposal has received a chilly reception in the House of Representatives, so far. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has panned the bill as "inadequate" and called on the Senate to pass an expansive package of tax provisions, extenders and the House Democrats' 19-month doc fix.

"The inadequate legislation on physicians' fees that Senate Republicans allowed to pass today is a great disappointment," Pelosi stated in a press release on Friday. "The House has approved long-term reform that ensures that Medicare patients will have access to quality physicians' services."

The House's American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act failed to gain enough support to pass procedural hurdles in the Senate last week. The Senate only passed the six month fix - which retroactively raises Medicare reimbursements by 2.2% from June 1 through Nov. 30 - by unanimous consent after CMS began processing physician claims with the 21.3% sustainable growth rate (SGR) cut on Friday. The SGR cut only effects claims with dates of service on or after June 1.

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RUTH LANDE

Jun 22, 2010 11:35 AM

Thank you!

CHARLES FIEGL

Jun 22, 2010 10:41 AM

The House was not in session on Monday, but returns on Tuesday. Reports indicate that the House will not consider the six-month proposal because House leaders want a longer pay fix.

RUTH LANDE

Jun 22, 2010 8:47 AM

Speaker Pelosi made that discouraging statement Friday. But what happened yesterday, (Monday)? I can't seem to find any information about what is going on in the House.

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