Larsen Votes to Stop Medicare Payment Cut, Preserve Access to Health Care for Northwest Washington Seniors and Military Families
For Immediate Release
Contact: Amanda Mahnke
(202) 225-2605
June 24, 2008
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) voted today to prevent a pending 10.6 percent payment cut for physicians providing care to seniors on Medicare and military families on TRICARE. The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (H.R. 6331) passed the House today by a large, bipartisan majority of 355 to 59. The payment cut is scheduled to go into effect on July 1 unless this bill becomes law.
“Today Congress took action to keep doctors’ offices open for thousands of Washington seniors, service members and military retirees who depend on Medicare and TRICARE,” said Larsen. “Washington families are struggling with rising health care costs and we must do more to make medical care affordable and accessible.”
Medicare provides health care coverage to 43 million seniors, including more than 760,000 patients in Washington state alone. TRICARE is U.S. military's medical benefits program and provides health care coverage to service members, military families and retirees.
Because Medicare often reimburses physicians for less than the actual cost of care, some doctors are declining to treat Medicare patients or are closing their offices altogether. Compared to other states, Washington state already has a low number of practicing physicians per patient -- 25 for every 100,000 patients.
If the 10.6 percent payment cut goes through as scheduled, Washington state could lose $98 million in health care funds, according to the American Medical Association.
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