Press Releases
June 24, 2010
House Passes Short-Term Medicare and TRICARE Reimbursement Measure
The House today voted to pass H.R. 3962, the Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and TRICARE Families Act by a vote of 417 yeas to 1 no in an immediate effort to ensure that individuals and families covered by Medicare or TRICARE do not see any restrictions to their current level of access to medical care.
The House initially passed H.R. 4213, the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act or the so-called "tax extenders" legislation. This bill was passed in the House on December 9, 2009, and in addition this more robust legislation contained numerous provisions aimed at improving the jobs market. This bill also extended an 18-month fix to the Medicare Physician Payment Update, which restores the 21 percent cut, and includes a 2.2 percent update to physician payment rates through December 31, 2010.
However, H.R. 4213 continues to await consideration in the Senate due to Republican objections over the cost of the longer term solutions to Medicare and TRICARE reimbursements as well as the cost of certain job stimulating measures.
However, to ensure that no one lost access to critical health care services, the House today voted in favor of the short-term fixes to Medicare and TRICARE reimbursements in H.R. 3962. This bill reverses the temporary cuts in Medicare reimbursement to doctors for 6 months and includes a 2.2 percent update to physician payment rates through November 30, 2010. The bill also ensures that TRICARE patients and their families are protected as payment rates for doctors in TRICARE are tied to Medicare rates. The bill will now be sent to President Barack Obama for his signature.
“The House today voted to ensure that Medicare beneficiaries and families covered under TRICARE continue to have access to quality healthcare options,” Congresswoman Bordallo said today. “While the House-passed H.R. 4213 would offer a more long term solution for Medicare and TRICARE beneficiaries, it was important that we act on this issue now. I know that the Obama Administration and House leadership will continue to work with the Senate to find a longer term solution to the Medicare and TRICARE reimbursement issues. I will also continue to work with my colleagues to find long-term solutions to these reimbursement issues as well as ways of stimulating job creation on Guam and on the mainland.”