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AMA "Deeply Disappointed" By Failed "Doc Fix" Vote

By Philip Klein on 10.21.09 @ 3:16PM

The American Medical Association, which lobbied hard for the $247 billion health care bill, released the following statement in reaction to the failed cloture vote. It's unclear how this will affect their overall support for health care legislation, but it's worth noting that the statement does emphasize that, "Permanent repeal of the Medicare physician payment formula is essential to comprehensive health system reform."

Here's the full statement, attributed to AMA President J. James Rohack:

“The AMA is deeply disappointed that the Senate today blocked consideration of S. 1776, legislation to preserve access to health care for America’s seniors, baby boomers and military families. Senator Stabenow is a long-time champion for patients and physicians, and the AMA, AARP and MOAA strongly supported her bill that would have laid the foundation to permanently fix the Medicare physician payment formula and keep Medicare strong as millions of baby boomers enter the program in just two years.

 “As we work to improve the health system, permanent repeal of the payment formula is essential to ensuring the security and stability of Medicare. On January first, Medicare physician payments are scheduled to be cut by 21 percent, with more cuts in years to come. Nearly 90 percent of people age 50 and older are concerned that the current Medicare physician payment formula threatens their access to care.

 “While short-term fixes have temporarily averted widespread access problems, they have also grown the size of the problem – and the cost of reform. The AMA is committed to fixing the Medicare payment problem once and for all for seniors, baby boomers and the physicians who care for them.

“There is widespread agreement among Republicans and Democrats that the formula is broken and needs to be repealed. Congress created the Medicare physician payment system, and Congress needs to fix this problem once and for all to fulfill its obligation to seniors, baby boomers and military families.  Permanent repeal of the Medicare physician payment formula is essential to comprehensive health system reform.”