(Dec. 18, 2007) Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-MT) announced in a December 5
press release that he "will speed up efforts to craft Medicare legislation this year by moving directly to negotiations with the House of Representatives." Chairman Baucus withdrew his request for a Finance Committee mark-up (initially scheduled for December 5), given the importance of moving "as quickly as possible" toward agreement on a year-end Medicare bill.” This bill will address the anticipated 10.1 percent cut in physician payments scheduled to go into effect in January 2008. The House addressed the physician pay cut in the Children’s Health and Medicare Protection Act that it passed over the summer.
According to the press release, Chairman Baucus and Ranking Member Charles Grassley (R-IA) "have already reached agreement on many provisions." Baucus believes "there's now a good basis for negotiation with the House."