By Kevin Freking
The Associated Press

Washington - In a matter of days, the federal government is scheduled to start paying doctors 10.6 percent less when they treat Medicare patients.

With that in mind, the House overwhelmingly passed legislation Tuesday that would void the cut and pay for it by trimming payments to private health insurers.

The legislation passed 355-59 despite a veto threat by President Bush and protests from the insurance industry.

Rep. Diana DeGette, a Denver Democrat, fought to prevent the cut in physician payments.

"Not only will this measure eliminate the scheduled 10 percent cut to Medicare physicians, but it also provides a 1.1 percent update for 2009," De-Gette said. "A rate update is desperately needed to maintain quality care for Medicare patients. Ignoring this problem any longer would be devastating to patient care across Colorado and the nation."

Now, the job of avoiding a pay cut for doctors falls to the Senate, where lawmakers were working behind the scenes Tuesday to craft a compromise that would gain the administration’s support or generate enough votes to overcome a veto.

Denver Post staff writer Anne C. Mulkern contributed to this report.