AARP Online Community: AARPOR - Senate vote disappointing: blocks protection of access to Medicare doctors

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Senate vote disappointing: blocks protection of access to Medicare doctors

Oct. 21, 2009

CONTACT:

Sara Wurfel, 503-513-7367 or swurfel@aarp.org

AARP Oregon KEY VOTE NEWS ALERT**

AARP disappointed by Senate’s vote to block protection of access to Medicare doctors

S. 1776 would have preserved access by replacing flawed payment system

SUMMARY: Today the U.S. Senate blocked critical legislation to protect access to doctors for the 44 million Americans who rely on Medicare. The Medicare Physician Fairness Act (S. 1776) would have replaced today’s broken doctor payment system, which calls for a 21.5 percent cut in physician pay in January. The bill failed to pass a key procedural vote in the Senate today.

Oregon	VOTED YES TO MOVE DOCTOR ACCESS BILL TO DEBATE AND VOTE	VOTED TO BLOCK DEBATE ON DOCTOR ACCESS BILL
Merkley, Jeff	X
Wyden, Ron		X

**AARP is recording House and Senate roll call votes on key issues throughout the 111^th Congress, and informing its 40 million members of the results. How a legislator votes on issues is only one factor in evaluating his or her legislative performance, which should also include such things as constituency services and committee work .

“While we are disappointed by today’s outcome, we applaud Sen. Jeff Merkley for voting to preserve access to doctors in Medicare and bring this bill to the floor for an up-or-down vote,” said Ray Miao, AARP Oregon State Volunteer President. “This critical legislation would have helped the millions of older Americans in Medicare have access to the doctor of their choice by replacing the flawed doctor payment system. We look forward to continuing to work with Sen. Merkley and his colleagues to pass health care reform that protects Medicare and ensures older Americans can afford quality health care.”

Miaoadded: “We are deeply disappointed that Sen. Ron Wyden voted to block this important Medicare bill from open debate and an up-or-down vote on the Senate floor. This bill would permanently replace the broken Medicare physician payment system so people in the program could continue to see their doctor.”

AARP strongly supports the Medicare Physician Fairness Act, introduced by Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). This legislation permanently repeals Medicare’s flawed Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) physician payment formula, which has required repeated Congressional action to prevent unwarranted cuts that could harm access to doctors for people in Medicare. Repealing the SGR will stop an unprecedented 21.5 percent pay cut that otherwise will occur in January 2010, and additional cuts in future years.

AARP notified the 111^th Congress that it was tracking roll call votes on key legislation important to its 40 million members and reporting the outcomes of these votes back to its members. “We believe people make the right choices when they understand the issues and position taken by their elected officials. AARP intends to ensure that its members get that information,” Miao concluded.