Wasserman Schultz Statement in Support of Doc Fix Legislation

Washington, DC, March 26, 2015
Congress' inability to enact a permanent ïdoc-fix' has vexed us for almost 20 years. To date we've spent nearly $170 billion on short-term patches to prevent significant cuts to doctors who accept Medicare, a practice which has also impacted the ability of some seniors to see their doctors and get the care they need. Today, the House voted in a bipartisan fashion to end our flawed practice of temporary, year-to-year fixes and restore certainty to our seniors and to Medicare physicians. In doing so, we will help improve quality of care and the accuracy of payments.
U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23) released the following statement today after the House of Representatives passed H.R. 2, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015. A major provision of the bill is fixing Medicare’s Sustainable Growth Rate, commonly referred to as the ‘doc fix’:
“Congress’ inability to enact a permanent ‘doc-fix’ has vexed us for almost 20 years. To date we’ve spent nearly $170 billion on short-term patches to prevent significant cuts to doctors who accept Medicare, a practice which has also impacted the ability of some seniors to see their doctors and get the care they need.
“Today, the House voted in a bipartisan fashion to end our flawed practice of temporary, year-to-year fixes and restore certainty to our seniors and to Medicare physicians. In doing so, we will help improve quality of care and the accuracy of payments.  I have always supported a permanent fix to this problem and it is why I voted in support of the bill before us today.
“This legislation also includes strengthened protections for low-income seniors and children, such as making Medicare Part B premiums more affordable and extending the Children’s Health Insurance Program to cover kids in need.
“Let me be perfectly clear; this was not an easy vote to take. But legislating in this partisan environment, and finding compromise to solve big problems, never is. I am extremely concerned about Congressional Republicans’ increasing zeal in restricting women’s reproductive health choices. The slope is getting more slippery with each bill they introduce, and I am committed to working with my colleagues, pro-choice advocates and America’s women to stop out of touch, mostly male politicians from interfering in decisions that are best left between a woman, her family and her health providers.”
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