Nancy L. Johnson: “I would be happy to respond. Actuaries estimate things differently. The CMS actuaries estimate that 1.1 million won't…”

Does the gentleman feel confident even without any placeholder, should, say, the Senate fail to provide a placeholder, as they have in the past, that we will be able to address this in conference?

This legislation is nearly identical to H.R. 3146, a bill the House unanimously approved last week. The only change is the addition of a 6-month extension of expiring Medicare payment provisions affecting hospitals in small cities and…

We certainly are willing to accept the gentleman's amendment. It is a very thoughtful and important one.

I absolutely do. I think we are facing the possibility of physicians fleeing the Medicare program and creating a real access problem for seniors to physicians of their choice. But acceding to the Senate position is not going to fix it; it…