GOP rep hails bipartisan Medicare deal
Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.) on Saturday touted Congress’ “progress” in “delivering the first real entitlement reform in nearly two decades.”
The House voted Thursday to end the practice of annually cutting Medicare reimbursements paid to doctors.
“For seniors, this will end years of needless concern and frustration that care will suffer from arbitrary cuts,” Poe said.
{mosads}“For families, this will mean a more stable Medicare program to care for their elderly parents,” he continued. “And for taxpayers, this will result in a huge amount of savings 20, 30, 40 years down the road.”
Roe, a retired physician, said Thursday’s rare bipartisan House vote was proof lawmakers could produce meaningful change when they work together.
“Congress has faced this cliff before, nearly 20 times in fact,” Roe said, referencing short-term “doc fix” bills that temporarily patched Medicare entitlement cuts.
“And it won’t surprise you to learn that each time, Congress has punted, spending your money on short-term fixes without providing any kind of certainty for doctors and our seniors,” he continued.
“But this time is different,” he concluded. “This week, the House passed bipartisan legislation to permanently repeal this formula. Instead, we’re delivering the first real entitlement reform in nearly two decades.”
The House voted 392-37 Thursday to permanently halt yearly cuts to doctors’ Medicare reimbursements. The change came after unusual cooperation between leaders from both parties.
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) teamed up on the groundbreaking compromise. It put to rest the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR), an annual pay cut for doctors.
The Senate will vote on the measure after it returns from a two-week recess. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Friday he expects the Medicare reform will also pass in his chamber.
“I want to reassure everyone … we’ll move to it very quickly when we get back,” he promised.
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