Congress Overrides Veto of Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008

Today, in a 383-41 vote of the U.S. House of Representatives and a 70-26 vote of the U.S. Senate, Congress voted to override President Bush's veto of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (H.R.6331).  As enacted, H.R. 6331 prevents the 10.6 percent reduction in the Medicare payment rate for physician services (which was scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2008) and provides physicians with a 1.1 percent update for 2009.  On December 29, 2007, President Bush signed the Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 into law preventing a reduction in Medicare physician payments that was scheduled for 2008 and giving physicians a 0.5 percent increase through June 30, 2008.  In a Press Release, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus highlights some of H.R.6331's other provisions.