The President's Weekly Address: Fair Pay for Doctors

From the White House blog:

With doctors facing deep cuts in their reimbursements from Medicare unless Congress acts to correct long-standing problems, the President calls on Senate Republicans to stop blocking the remedy and pledges to work toward a permanent solution. The cuts would potentially mean widespread trouble for seniors getting needed care.

I have been hearing and seeing an AD on the TeeVee Machine for the last couple of weeks about this from the AMA.. Once again, the Rethugs in Congress are being their obstructionist selves.

They were the ones crying about cutting Medicare and how badly the Health Reform was going to hurt doctors and seniors and now, they are the ones potentially hurting Doctors and Seniors.

It is all based on the premise if we obstruct enough, we will win again. That's the bottom line. Please call your Congress Critter and let them know how you feel. It is very important we protect our Seniors and the Doctors. They don't get paid much by Medicare and if this cut goes through, there will be more doctors not accepting Medicare. It is already hard to find a doctor who will take NEW Medicare patients. My doctor will not accept new ones.... just because of the pay rate and the paperwork involved with claims.

None of us are getting younger... and we will all need Medicare when we retire.... Think about that, and think about your parents and others who are getting ready to file for Medicare and will be unable to find a doctor, or will not be able to choose the doctor they want.

Dems intend to bypass GOP on health compromise

From the AP I find this story tonight on Yahoo News.. Normally I don't use them as a source but this would make me very happy if it is true..

House and Senate Democrats intend to bypass traditional procedures when they negotiate a final compromise on health care legislation, officials said Monday, a move that will exclude Republican lawmakers and reduce their ability to delay or force politically troubling votes in both houses.

The unofficial timetable calls for final passage of the measure to remake the nation's health care system by the time President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address, probably in early February.

Democratic aides said the final compromise talks would essentially be a three-way negotiation involving top Democrats in the House and Senate and the White House, a structure that gives unusual latitude to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California.

These officials said there are no plans to appoint a formal House-Senate conference committee, the method Congress most often uses to reconcile differing bills. Under that customary format, a committee chairman is appointed to preside, and other senior lawmakers from both parties and houses participate in typically perfunctory public meetings while the meaningful negotiations occur behind closed doors.

In this case, the plan is to skip the formal meetings, reach an agreement, then have the two houses vote as quickly as possible. A 60-vote Senate majority would be required in advance of final passage.

You can read the entire story at the site above.. However that's the gist of it.. Basically, Harry and Nancy and some of the White House staff are getting together to write the final bill.. without the GOPers.. Finally they are putting a stop to the obstructionism.. Hip Hip Hooray!