I applaud the Members of Congress from both parties who came together to pass the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act.
Nearly every year for the past 13 years, physicians have faced the possibility of an arbitrary cut in their payments from Medicare unless Congress passed a so-called “doc fix.” In my budget, I called for putting a permanent end to this annual manufactured crisis to ensure that doctors will not face a sudden drop in their pay. This bill is consistent with that proposal – it’s a milestone for physicians, and for the seniors and people with disabilities who rely on Medicare for their health care needs.
This bill also strengthens our country’s health care system for the long term. It more directly rewards providers for better-quality care. It creates incentives to encourage physicians to participate in new, innovative payment models that could further reduce the growth in Medicare spending while preserving access to care. And it extends the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which has provided coverage to millions of American children.
This bipartisan bill will protect health coverage for millions of Americans, and I will be proud to sign it into law. I hope Congress builds on this good work by finding more ways to make sure every American has access to the quality, affordable health care they deserve.