Bush signs bill cutting Medicare payments

Feb 8, 2006

In an expected move, U.S. President George W. Bush yesterday signed the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, which among other provisions implements billions of dollars in cuts to Medicare reimbursement for imaging in physician offices.

The legislation mandates cuts in Medicare payments for the technical component of imaging studies conducted outside the hospital setting, with the Congressional Budget Office estimating that the changes will save $2.8 billion over the next five years.

Opponents of the law, including the American College of Radiology of Reston, VA, estimate that the cuts could actually total as much as $6 billion. The law also implements cuts in reimbursement for imaging studies of contiguous body parts.

In signing the legislation, Bush said the law was needed to curb spending in entitlement programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, which are growing at a rate faster than the economy. Bush said the cuts would ensure the long-term stability of Medicare and Medicaid by slowing spending to levels that the country can afford.

By AuntMinnie.com staff writers
February 9, 2006

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