In the News

Congressman Gerry Connolly joined with a bipartisan majority in the U.S. House of Representatives to support legislation that will end perennial uncertainty over Medicare reimbursement rates and ensure seniors have access to doctors and medical services.

The legislation passed the House Thursday by a vote of 392-37.  The Senate is scheduled to act on the legislation Friday. 

“I was pleased to support this legislation to give our seniors peace of mind,” Connolly said.  “This bipartisan bill not only protects seniors and doctors from a 21 percent cut in the Medicare reimbursement rate, but it also provides long-overdue reform to the payment system to reward doctors for the quality of the care they provide.”

Over the past 13 years, Congress has approved 17 “patches,” nicknamed the “doc fix,” to prevent a series of cuts in the reimbursements for doctors.  The practice manufactured a recurring crisis rather than solving the problem of Medicare reimbursement rates, which the House-passed legislation finally addresses.

Connolly said the bill also protects the most vulnerable seniors by permanently extending an assistance program to help those with low incomes pay their Medicare premiums. “Such assistance is essential, considering the median income for Medicare beneficiaries is $23,500,” Connolly said. 

The legislation provides a two-year extension of the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which extends coverage to more than 200,000 Virginia youngsters from low-income families.  Similarly, it provides two additional years of critical funding for Community Health Centers, which provide primary care, dental care, and other services for the most underserved in our community, including two Centers serving Northern Virginia.

“Passage of this legislation in the House represents a rare bipartisan victory for Congress,” Connolly said. “I hope it will serve as a model for other challenges we must address to keep our communities strong and move our nation forward."