Correcting the flawed physician payment formula is something that I have been working hard at ever since being contacted by hundreds of doctors and patients in our district. At a time when Americans are facing skyrocketing health care costs, the last thing we need is to discourage doctors from seeing Medicare patients by reducing their Medicare reimbursement.

I have supported this change every step of the way and our efforts have finally paid off. On February 13, the House overwhelmingly passed the final spending bill for fiscal year 2003, which the President signed into law on February 20. Under this bill, physicians will receive a 1.6% increase in the reimbursement level instead of the 4.4% reduction.

Our seniors deserve to have access to high quality care.  Making sure there are enough doctors to serve these patients is critical.