Latest News

Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02) voted in support of H.R. 2, legislation that makes substantive structural reforms to Medicare and repeals the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula through which physicians are paid under the Medicare program.

If implemented, the SGR would result in a cut to physicians of 21 percent.  Congress has acted 17 times since 2003 to delay SGR.

“The SGR policy has been a series of patches and gimmicks, with physicians constantly on the brink of massive cuts and seniors fearing that their doctor will no longer accept Medicare,” said Congressman Guthrie.  “Once and for all, this bill ends that cycle and stops kicking the can down the road.”

H.R. 2 also includes a new payment policy to move physicians from a fee-for-service model to one that focuses on quality and value, which will ultimately improve care and lower costs.  The bill also includes significant reforms to Medicare, including requiring first-dollar coverage for Medigap plans and a transition for wealthier seniors to pay for more of their Medicare benefits.  These reforms make significant strides to putting the Medicare program on a more solvent fiscal footing.

“In a program that is currently going broke, small reforms will go a long way to restoring the program’s fiscal health.  Those Medicare recipients with the means to pay for more of their premiums and receive less government assistance should do so, and not pay the same premium prices as lower income seniors,” added Congressman Guthrie.

The measure also includes a number of other provisions, including fully funding the Children’s Health Insurance Program for two additional years.

###