A procedural motion to move H.R. 6331 to a vote failed in the US Senate by one vote on June 26.  HR 6331 is a measure to avert a 10.6 percent cut in Medicare "physician" reimbursement rates on July 1 and a cut in excess of five percent on January 1, 2009. H.R. 6331 also contains language which would stop CMS from implementing an onerous DMEPOS accreditation scheme that would reduce access to vision care for Medicare patients. The bill recently passed the US House of Representives by an overwhelming margin.

 

H.R. 6331 will not be eligible for reconsideration until at least July 7. As a result, Medicare reimbursement rates will be reduced by 10.6 percent effective July 1. Future action by Congress may be retroactively applied back to July 1.

 

At issue is the way in which the measure will be funded. Indiana's delegation to the Senate were split on the current proposal. Sen. Evan Bayh supported H.R. 6331 in its current version while Sen. Richard Lugar opposed it. Both senators support averting the cuts. They disagree, however, on how to fund it.