In a rare move, President Obama signed a law Thursday in a Rose Garden ceremony, giving his approval to bipartisan legislation to change the way Medicare pays doctors.
Mr. Obama praised Republican Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, for compromising on the legislation that also extends the Children’s Health Insurance Program for two more years. He called it “a significant bipartisan achievement.”
“It’s going to be good for people who use Medicare, it’s going to be good for our seniors,” Mr. Obama said. “Ultimately it’s going to be good for all of us.”
The Senate on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved sweeping changes in the formula for physician reimbursements, resolving an issue that had thwarted Congress for more than a decade.
Without action by Congress, doctors would have faced a 21 percent cut in Medicare fees this week. The president said he signed the law without trying to invite lawmakers to a White House ceremony due to the urgent timing.
“Because we wanted to make sure doctors payments didn’t get cut off, I’m signing it now rather than wait for getting members of Congress down here,” Mr. Obama said. “Hopefully sometime next week or the week after we’ll deal with that reception where I can acknowledge the great work they did while they’re enjoying White House hospitality.”
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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