“The legislation the House passed today tells America’s seniors loud and clear that we are behind them and working hard to protect their access to their doctors and nurses..."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 19, 2009

CONTACT: Emily Barocas/202-225-7295

LARSON: DEMS VOTE TO PROTECT SENIORS’ ACCESS TO DOCTORS

Washington, DC -- Congressman John B. Larson (CT-01), Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, released the following statement after the passage of the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act.

“The legislation the House passed today tells America’s seniors loud and clear that we are behind them and working hard to protect their access to their doctors and nurses.  By permanently fixing a scheduled cut to Medicare reimbursement rates we are helping to ensure that health care providers around the country don’t drop their Medicare patients and putting an end to a budgeting gimmick designed to make the long-term deficit appear smaller. This legislation compliments the historic health insurance reform bill we passed earlier this month that will lower premiums, extend the solvency of Medicare by five years, improve preventive and primary care for seniors, and close the “donut hole” drug coverage gap.

“We also made a bold statement about fiscal responsibility by attaching Pay-as-You-Go legislation to this bill as it moves to the Senate.  It was Pay-Go policies that led our nation from record deficits to record surpluses during the Clinton Administration before they were abandoned by a Republican Congress and President Bush. I believe those same principles are vital restoring our nation’s fiscal health now.”

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