Congress votes to prevent whopping physician pay cut

Association votes to explore new Medicare payment formula as temporary 'doc fix' hangs in balance

The House and Senate voted Friday morning to pass a two-month extension of the so-called “doc fix,” preventing a scheduled 27.4% cut in Medicare payments for physicians.

The temporary physician pay measure, which has been closely watched by long-term care groups, was included in the payroll tax-cut extension package now called H.R. 3765.

The bill, which is very similar to the version passed by the Senate last Saturday, extends unemployment benefits for two months and provides an extension for the therapy cap exceptions process, another area of concern for skilled nursing providers.

President Obama is expected to sign off the bill on Friday.