President Obama Signs One-Year Delay of Medicare Cut into Law

AMA President Attends Oval Office Bill Signing

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following statement is attributable to Cecil B. Wilson, M.D., President of the American Medical Association (AMA):

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"Today, President Obama signed into law a one-year delay of the looming Medicare physician payment cut that would have hurt seniors' health care. The AMA commends President Obama and bipartisan leaders in the Senate and House for their commitment to a year-long delay of the 25 percent cut. The AMA strongly advocated for this one-year delay to create a stable environment for seniors and their physicians. Leaving behind this year's vicious cycle of five delays was crucial to preserving health care for seniors, and it provides time for Congress to work on a long-term solution to the physician payment problem.

"There is bipartisan agreement that the current system is broken, and AMA will work closely with policymakers on a long-term solution that helps physicians continue to care for seniors now and in the future. It's clear that 2011 is the year to finally fix this problem, as the baby boomers begin relying on Medicare this January for their health coverage."

About the American Medical Association (AMA)

The American Medical Association helps doctors help patients by uniting physicians nationwide to work on the most important professional, public health and health policy issues. The nation's largest physician organization plays a leading role in shaping the future of medicine. For more information on the AMA, please visit www.ama-assn.org.

SOURCE American Medical Association