Medicare Physician Payments Get Two-Month Patch
Lawmakers averted a year-end deadline for Medicare physician payment cuts after the House reversed course Dec. 23 by supporting a two-month patch for the physician payment formula. President Obama then signed the measure blocking the 27.4 percent pay cut, setting up another showdown in the first two months of 2012 when Congress returns to Washington.
“ASTRO is pleased that no cuts to radiation oncology were used to pay for the short fix, and the society will continue urging Congress to enact a permanent solution to the physician payment formula in 2012,” the organization stated.