Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act Of 2009

Floor Speech

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Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3961, the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009. Over this past summer, physicians in my district consistently stressed the need to reform our flawed Medicare reimbursement formula to ensure continued access to care for our Medicare beneficiaries. I could not agree more. For the last several years, Congress has had to act to reverse reimbursement reductions that would have prompted many doctors to close their doors or refuse to see more Medicare beneficiaries. If we do not act today, physicians serving Medicare patients will see a 21 percent reduction in their reimbursements next year. A cut of this magnitude will reduce access to physicians for Medicare beneficiaries throughout the country. Today, we in the House of Representatives are demonstrating our commitment to permanently fixing this problem.

I am pleased that H.R. 3961 will eliminate this steep payment cut scheduled for 2010 and protect access to care for seniors and people with disabilities into the future. It will also help protect access for our men and women in uniform and their families, since physician payment rates in TRICARE are tied to those used by Medicare. By providing a boost to primary care providers through increased payments for evaluation and management services, such as routine office visits, we help our physicians and patients focus on preventive measures and general wellness. Above all, this important legislation will ensure fair and adequate payment for physicians who participate in Medicare.

The American Medical Association, AARP, the Military Officers Association of America, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Physicians, the American College of Surgeons, the Center for Medicare Advocacy, the Medicare Rights Center, and the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare support this legislation. Like them and many of my colleagues, I too support comprehensive reforms to Medicare physician payments that enhance efficient and high-quality care for beneficiaries that protect their choice of physicians. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 3961.

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