Senate Votes To Begin Debate on Health System Reform Bill

On November 21, the US Senate voted to begin debate on health system reform and formally consider HR 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, by a party-line vote of 60-39. Rather than permanently replacing the flawed "sustainable" growth rate formula, the bill would provide a 1-year reprieve from the 21% Medicare physician payment cut scheduled for January 1, with a steeper cut in 2011. The ACCP does not support temporary patches that exacerbate the Medicare physician payment problem.

The Senate will return to begin consideration of HR 3590 following the Thanksgiving holiday. The ACCP encourages its members, as advocates for their patients, to make their views known to their senators, so that health system reforms will make health care accessible and affordable for all Americans, while improving the current environment for physicians.