Baucus bill would avert Medicare cut

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WASHINGTON, June 8 (UPI) -- A leading Democratic U.S. senator has introduced legislation that he says would avert a coming reduction in Medicare payments to doctors.

Max Baucus of Montana, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, introduced the bill late Friday, The Hill reported. The bill would use money intended to get private insurance plans to participate in Medicare Advantage to provide doctors with a small increase in reimbursement, instead of the 10.6 percent cut scheduled to take effect July 1.

While senators on both sides of the aisle agree the cut must be stopped, they do not necessarily agree on how to find the money. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, ranking minority member on the Finance Committee, introduced his own bill, which would increase reimbursement 1.1 percent -- more than the .5 percent Baucus has proposed, the newspaper said.