Political Quotes

“I would like to share a few thoughts as we head into this week, because we will be confronting the question of how to fix the payment to our physicians who treat Medicare and Medicaid patients. If we do not take action, there will be a 21-percent reduction in the amount of money they are paid to do the work for the Federal Government. This is an unacceptable alternative, but it is what current law says. Congress needs to fix it. In fact, we have been dealing with this for 17 years. For 17 years, Congress has, in some way or another, fixed the doctor payment plan and raised their pay so that they do not take a cut. As years have gone by, the size of the cut that needs to be fixed has increased too, as I said, 21 percent today if we do not act. I think there is a uniform, universal belief that we should do that, and do it on a permanent basis so we do not have to have doctors calling Congress every year, saying: Are you going to change the law so I can continue to do Medicare work? If you do not change it and my services are cut 21 percent, I am out of here. I can hardly make a living now on what you pay me, and taking a big cut will not allow me to continue to offer Medicare services for people in need. It is a big issue and a real issue. I have favored a permanent fix for a number of years.…”