Senate Leaves for Weekend Without Taking up Doc Pay Cut

There could be a temporary solution to the issue this weekend. Stubbs says there is a possibility that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services may be able to delay federal payments act for several days, or at least until the Senate takes action.

"Maybe CMS can delay the process and the Senate a little more time," Stubbs says.

CMS officials could not be reached for comment Friday.

While Congress has focused on healthcare reform, it has been relatively inactive on the pay cut issue, as the deadline approaches. The inaction has prompted sharp rebukes from organizations representing physicians.

The American Academy of Physicians said in a statement that it was "deeply angered at congressional failure to avert the mandated 21.2 % Medicare physician pay cut. This inaction—in the face of virtually universal calls by the medical community and advocates for Medicare beneficiaries—has put elderly and disabled patients at risk of losing access to care and imposed potentially devastating fiscal hardship on physicians."