Washington, DC - Congressmen John D. Dingell (D-MI15) and Patrick Murphy (D-PA08) sent the following Dear Colleague letter today to House Members urging them to vote in favor of H.R. 3961, the Medicare Physician Payment Act of 2009.  The bill will be on the House Floor today.

Dear Colleague,

We urge you to vote for H.R. 3961, the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act, which will permanently reform Medicare’s physician payment system and place it on a more sustainable footing for physicians and beneficiaries in the future.  Passage of this bill is necessary to ensure generations of Americans and our military members (active-duty and retired) and their families covered by the military’s health care system known as TRICARE continue to have access to the care they need. 

The bill, which will include Statutory PAYGO legislation, will repeal a 21 percent physician payment cut scheduled for January 2010 and replace it with a stable system that ends the cycle of threats of cuts and short-term patches.  Permanent reform of payments physicians who participate in Medicare receive will guarantee Medicare beneficiaries continue to enjoy the access to care that they do today. Due to the link between Medicare and TRICARE physician payment rates, physicians who participate in TRICARE plans face the same 21 percent cut in payments. 

As you know, due to the sustainable growth rate system, active-duty military members, military retirees (those who have served 20+ years in the military) and their families covered by TRICARE face the same problems with access to care as do Medicare participants. If doctor’s refuse to participate in TRICARE because of payment cuts, our military members and their families may not be provided with the care they deserve.  As a WWII veteran and an Iraq War veteran, we find this scenario unacceptable.  Given the price our military members and their families pay to defend our country, it is important that we follow through on our duty to provide them with quality and reliable health care.
 
Without this bill a large number of doctors will be unable to treat our TRICARE enrollees and their families.  This is one of the reasons why the Military Officers Association of America is supporting H.R. 3961. 

Our brave soldiers did not battle through the dangers of war only to be forgotten when needing medical care.  With that in mind, we ask you to support H.R. 3961 and fulfill a promise to those defending our country.

With every good wish,

Sincerely, 

John D. Dingell and Patrick Murphy