Congress votes to prevent Medicare Physician pay cut (Reuters) (yahoo.com)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Act aims to prevent 25 per cent pay cut to physicians who treat patients covered by the federal health insurance health insurance for the elderly program won the final approval of the Congress of the American Thursday.

The vote of 409-2, the House of representatives has adopted the measure, the Senate approved the day before, the way for President Barack Obama to sign in the right to compensation.

The legislation would provide a "repair" a year physician payment formula. Stop a regular cup of physicians in January lobbies for seniors said would be harder for Medicare patients get medical care.

A number of groups supported health legislation, including the American Medical Association of 250,000 members.

"Stop 25% steep, Medicare cut one year was essential to preserve the seniors access to medical care in 2011, said the Chairman of the group, Cecil Wilson."

"The AMA will work closely with the leaders of the Congress of the new year to develop a solution in the long term this perennial problem Medicare for seniors and their physicians," said Wilson.

Bill has been elaborated compromise by democratic leaders as legislators push for completing the legislative work of the current Congress at the end of next week. A new Congress will be seated in January when Republicans will take control of the House.

Fix pay $ 15 billion cost a year for physicians to treatment of insurance and military Tricare patients receive for modifying a provision on the recovery of payment of the subsidy excesses in the health care legislation passed this year.

The Government will be able to find grant insurance payments more excess persons as provided for by the legislation in force. The change will save 19 billion over the next 10 years, according to estimates by the Congress.

Obama supported the legislation, but said that it is time to adopt a more permanent fix in the Medicare payment formula.

Physicians formula is obsolete and will translate into steep wage reductions that would discourage physicians treating Medicare patients.

But the formula changes add to long-term deficits. As a result, Congress years resorted to a series of short term fixes allowing mask budget realities and made better long-term budget numbers.

Americans aged 65 and older and disabled are eligible for coverage of health provided by the Medicare program.

(Reported by Donna Smith and Thomas Ferraro;) (Editing by Jackie Frank)