Washington, D.C.—Today, Congressman Mike Bost (IL-12) voted to permanently fix the broken Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR), the formula by which doctors are reimbursed for serving patients on Medicare.  The bipartisan vote provides long term certainty for doctors and a permanent fix for the 53 million seniors who depend on Medicare.

“People in Southern Illinois elected me to put their best interests first, and that includes seniors concerned about getting the quality health care they deserve.  This bipartisan legislation will fix the broken formula that determined what doctors were paid for treating Medicare patients.  By stopping the endless cycle of yearly freezes in physician payments, doctors can keep their focus on what’s important: caring for seniors when they need help the most.  I am pleased that Republicans and Democrats put partisanship aside to do the right thing; that’s what the American people expect of us.”

The plan Bost voted for was endorsed by a large coalition on healthcare stakeholders, including the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, the March of Dimes, and the 60 Plus Association.