[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 186 (Tuesday, December 6, 2011)]
[House]
[Page H8145]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES AND ACCESS TO CARE

  (Mr. DesJARLAIS asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. DesJARLAIS. Mr. Speaker, as both a practicing physician and a 
Member of Congress, I have had numerous discussions with patients and 
constituents regarding how difficult it is for Medicare beneficiaries 
to find access to care.
  Unfortunately, this dilemma will only be exacerbated if Congress 
fails to enact legislation by the year's end for the sustainable growth 
rate, the formula in which physicians are paid for treating seniors on 
Medicare. Without congressional action, physician reimbursement will be 
cut by 28 percent on January 1, 2011, which will drastically hurt 
seniors' ability to find medical care.
  For roughly 8 years, Congress has applied a short-term fix to resolve 
these cuts. Republican doctors are committed to enacting a permanent 
solution to the flawed SGR formula. Democrats had a chance to deal with 
this issue during the passage of ObamaCare but, instead, chose to cut 
roughly $525 billion in Medicare.
  Congress must have the courage to repeal the flawed SGR formula and 
create a sustainable and reliable payment schedule.

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