Democrats Object To Cornyn Amendment Protecting Physicians Serving Medicare Patients

WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. John Cornyn a member of the Finance Committee today introduced an amendment to the Baucus mark that would ensure Medicare patients have access to a doctor beyond the one-year fix in the Chairmans Mark.  Sen. Cornyns amendment would give physicians serving Medicare patients a 0.5 percent payment update in 2011 and 2012 instead of the huge cuts they would face under the Chairmans Mark. Despite this Senate Democrats blocked the amendment from being accepted into the mark. My amendment would have addressed this by giving physicians a payment update in subsequent years instead of facing cuts under the Chairmans Mark. Its disappointing it was voted down by Democrats but I will continue my efforts to ensure seniors have access to physicians" Sen. Cornyn said. Background The Chairmans Mark provides a one-year fix" to the Medicare fee schedule through 2010 but in 2011 physicians will face approximately a 25 percent pay cut.  The amendment would prevent cuts to physicians serving Medicare patients in 2011 and 2012 by providing a 0.5 percent update to the Medicare fee schedule for each of those two years.  If the amendment were adopted there would be a total of three years of 0.5 percent updates for physicians reimbursed under the Medicare physician fee schedule.