Rep. Maloney calls for long-term “doc-fix” to protect seniors’ access to doctors in wake of another temporary extension of Medicare physician payments

NEW YORK - Representative Carolyn Maloney (NY-12) issued the following statement in response to yesterday’s House approval, by voice vote, of H.R. 4302, a bill to extend the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula used to determine Medicare fees for physician services:

“While yesterday’s approval of the “doc-fix” patch means physicians won’t see a 24 percent cut in Medicare rates and America’s seniors won’t see their access to medical services threatened by lack of coverage, it is disappointing that Congress did not come together on a sustainable, long-term solution.

“For months committees across the House and Senate have worked on a bipartisan measure that would reform the current system and provide better certainty to health coverage for our nation’s seniors. Unfortunately, this measured policy reform was held hostage to political games and we continue to see short term solutions for an unworkable system. Doctors are calling on Congress to enact this legislation, and I stand with them to get this done once and for all.”