So, Congress comes through with a 6-month reprieve:
Lawmakers have crafted a six-month reprieve for physicians facing a 10 percent rate cut when treating Medicare patients, two senators announced Tuesday.
The pay cut for doctors had been scheduled to take effect Jan. 1. Doctors had warned that a cut in reimbursement rates would lead to physicians taking on fewer new Medicare patients.
Yay, we get to do this all over again in 6 months.
In case you’re wondering why Medicare cuts are such a big deal, read my op-ed from the New Hampshire Union Leader earlier this year: Cut Medicare payments for doctors, you’ll have fewer doctors.