Obama Signs Bill Fixing Medicare Doctors' Pay WASHINGTON, April 16 (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama signed a bill into law on Thursday that repairs the formula for reimbursing Medicare physicians after Congress, in rare bipartisan fashion, passed a fix earlier this week to prevent a 21 percent cut in doctors' pay.
Sitting outside in the White House Rose Garden in his shirt sleeves, Obama said he was signing the bill now rather than waiting for a formal ceremony so it could go into force right away.
"This was a bipartisan effort," Obama said, adding he hoped the practice of Republicans and Democrats working together would become a habit on Capitol Hill.
"Because we wanted to make sure doctors' payments didn't get cut off, I'm signing it now."
The measure replaces a 1990s formula that linked Medicare doctor pay to economic growth, with a new formula more focused on quality of care. It also requires means-testing of Medicare beneficiaries so higher income people pay higher premiums. (Reporting by Jeff Mason. Editing by Andre Grenon)
Sitting outside in the White House Rose Garden in his shirt sleeves, Obama said he was signing the bill now rather than waiting for a formal ceremony so it could go into force right away.
"This was a bipartisan effort," Obama said, adding he hoped the practice of Republicans and Democrats working together would become a habit on Capitol Hill.
"Because we wanted to make sure doctors' payments didn't get cut off, I'm signing it now."
The measure replaces a 1990s formula that linked Medicare doctor pay to economic growth, with a new formula more focused on quality of care. It also requires means-testing of Medicare beneficiaries so higher income people pay higher premiums. (Reporting by Jeff Mason. Editing by Andre Grenon)
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