Perhaps people who have Medicare beneficiaries in their families will wish to let the congressman hear from them.

Your choices are two.

One, tell him to stop blocking the bill which takes back a 21% cut in Medicare payments to doctors—which everyone else in Congress and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services supports.

Two, you can tell him you agree with him.

Either way, a call would be a good idea.

He needs to hear from America, pro or con, so that his vote can be informed by the will of the people.

Here is his contact information.

Washington, D.C.

316 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Main: 202.224.4343
Fax: 202.228.1373

Medpage Today

“A 21% cut in Medicare reimbursement will go into effect March 1, after the Senate failed to pass a bill to stop the cuts.(Emphasis added)

“But the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a guidance just hours after the Senate adjourned for the weekend that buys doctors some more time.

“We believe Congress is working to avoid the negative update that will take effect March 1, 2010,” the guidance reads. “Consequently, CMS has instructed its contractors to hold claims containing services paid under the [Medicare Physician Fee Schedule] for the first 10 business days of March.”

…”Senators had tried Thursday night and Friday morning to pass a bill to delay the SGR-mandated decrease until the end of March. But one senator stood in the way.

“Jim Bunning (R-Ky.), the former major league baseball player, who is retiring from the Senate this year, repeatedly objected to passing the bill through a procedure called unanimous consent. Bunning said he couldn’t support a bill that is not paid for.” (Emphasis added)

Source: Medpage Today, February 26,2010