Bill would halt reductions of Medicare payments to doctors

In an effort to reconcile a nearly $250-billion difference between the House and Senate approaches to overhauling healthcare, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is pushing a bill to halt scheduled reductions in Medicare payments to physicians. The measure would end the cuts and set Medicare payment rates at current levels. Doing so would allow Democrats to maintain the American Medical Association's support for an overhaul without having to absorb the cost of higher doctor payments in the final healthcare bill, the Los Angeles Times reports.