The Senate bill, S 1776, failed in that chamber on Oct. 21, meaning that even if the House Ways and Means Committee’s new bill, HR 3961, were to pass, it might never get to President Obama’s desk.
The problem is that rescinding the current payment formula over 10 years, as both bills have proposed, costs $250 billion, and if that amount were attached to the health reform proposal, which is supposed to be budget-neutral, the reform bill might not be passed.
If HR 3961 fails, Congress would be back to fixing the physician pay problem in its usual manner, in an annual fix at the end of the session, which would be needed again this year to stave off a planned pay cut of more than 20 percent for physicians.
Read the Wall Street Journal Health Blog’s report on the physician pay fix.
Read the House Ways & Means Committee’s report on HR 3961.
