Bills would not help resolve Medicare payment disparities in all states—only in California

Doctors in 14 urbanized California counties applauded bills recently introduced by Rep. Sam Farr and Sen. Dianne Feinstein that would revise the rules that underpay physicians for treating Medicare patients by redefining their practices as more expensive and urban instead of rural.
In some parts of the state, doctors in certain specialties now decline to take Medicare patients, requiring people over the age of 65 to travel long distances to cities in other counties. Counties in Georgia, Minnesota, Ohio, and Virginia have disparities in physician payments because of the issue as well.