House, Senate committees approve 'doc fix' legislation

House and Senate panels approved legislation Thursday to overhaul how Medicare doctors are paid, although action by the full House and Senate on the bill won't happen until next year. The House Ways and Means committee unanimously approved legislation that would end the way doctors are reimbursed by Medicare and replace it with a system that would reward doctors who meet quality standards. The Senate Finance Committee overwhelmingly approved similar legislation. Lawmakers are looking to replace a payment formula adopted in 1997 to restrain the growth of Medicare payments. The formula tied doctor payments to economic growth and other measures. [Subscription Required]