Senate passes Medicare Bill; Docs avoid payment cuts

Senate passes Medicare Bill; Docs avoid payment cuts


The Senate avoided a planned cut in Medicare payments to doctors today when Democrats secured enough votes to pass a controversial Medicare bill.

And in a perfect bit of stagecraft, the vote marked the first appearance on the Senate floor of Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts since he was diagnosed with brain cancer.

Kennedy, greeted by cheers and applause from both sides of the aisle, has been a longtime champion of the elderly health insurance program. He missed the initial attempt to pass the bill last month, which failed by a single vote.

"I return to the Senate today to keep a promise to our senior citizens, and that’s to protect Medicare," Kennedy, a familiar presence in the Senate chamber for half a century, said in a statement. "Win, lose or draw, I wasn’t going to take the chance that my vote could make the difference."

But the measure passed with a comfortable cushion of nine, 69-30, including the votes of Sens. Claire McCaskill of Missouri, a Democrat, and Pat Roberts of Kansas, a Republican.

GOP Sens. Kit Bond of Missouri and Sam Brownback of Kansas opposed it.

"With a strong bipartisan vote, which has a veto-proof majority, I now urge President Bush to sign this bill immediately so that our seniors can continue to get the care that they need and deserve," Roberts said.

Of the presidential candidates, Democratic Sen. Barack Obama voted for the bill, but Republican Sen. John McCain didn’t show up to vote. He missed the first vote, too.

Physician payments under Medicare faced a more than 10 percent cut. So did fees paid to doctors under Tricare, the military’s health care program, which follows the same payment schedule.

The Medicare pay cuts were due to go into effect July 1, but the Senate extended the deadline for two weeks after the June vote in hopes of reaching a settlement. The proposed Tricare cut was put off longer

The bill also included measures to expand preventive care coverage, more quickly reimburse pharmacies and improve rural health programs.

The White House and many Republicans opposed some of the offsets in the bill that would help pay for it. Among them was a cut in payments to private, taxpayer-subsidized Medicare plans, known as Medicare Advantage, which are operated through HMOs.

Republicans complained that the Democrats, who control the chamber, wouldn’t allow any amendments. Some of lawmakers who opposed the bill last month ended up backing it this time.

Election year politics was also a factor.

Supporters believe they have enough votes to override a threatened presidential veto.
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