Talk Radio News Service: News, Politics, Media

By Ravi Bhatia-Talk Radio News Service

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) called the delay in changing the Medicare formula a yearly “Kabuki dance” in a press conference Tuesday on the Medicare Physicians Fairness Act, a piece of legislation that will prevent a significant pay-cut for physicians.

“Now we need to take the next step,” she said. “Which is, in the context of health reform, to say we are not going to move forward with the devastating cuts that would happen if we take no action. Instead, we embrace the new focus on prevention and quality and incentives in the health care reform bill that refocus how we look at physician care and physician payments.”

If passed, the act would eliminate the 21.5 percent Medicare payment rate reduction for physician services in 2010 and sunset the application of the sustainable growth rate formula. Stabenow stated that she is hopeful the legislation will pass this week.