Hoyer Statement on Motion to Vote on Proposal to Permanently Fix the Medicare Physician Payment Formula

Statement

House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today after House Republicans blocked an attempt to bring forward serious legislation to permanently fix the Medicare physician payment formula:

"I was disappointed that House Republicans today blocked a motion by Rep. Jim McGovern to consider Rep. John Tierney's bill that would permanently fix the Medicare physician payment formula while capping Overseas Contingency Operations well below the Congressional Budget Office's projections. Once again, Republicans have rejected what could have been a bipartisan solution to a pressing challenge in favor of a partisan attempt at political messaging.

"The legislation House Republicans will consider on the Floor later this week purports to fix the Medicare physician payment formula, but it is really a poorly disguised effort to hold the 51st vote to repeal or undermine the Affordable Care Act. Groups such as the American Medical Association and AARP have expressed disappointment at the Republicans' approach. Democrats will continue to stand up for the important health care reforms we enacted while encouraging Republicans to stop playing political games and pass the bipartisan, bicameral fix for the Medicare physician payment formula that benefits doctors, patients, and taxpayers."

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