In his weekly address on Saturday, President Obama called on the Senate to pass the fix for physicians' Medicare pay cuts in the sustainable growth rate formula.

"I'm absolutely willing to take the difficult steps necessary to lower the cost of Medicare and put our budget on a more fiscally sustainable path," Obama said, "but I'm not willing to do that by punishing hard-working physicians or the millions of Americans who count on Medicare. That's just wrong. And that's why in the short-term, Congress must act to prevent this pay cut to doctors."

The president explained that the program, originally meant to slow Medicare costs, is now jeopardizing physician pay and seniors' access to health care, as some doctors would be forced to stop seeing Medicare patients altogether.

The House of Representatives had voted to postpone the Medicare pay cut in H.R. 4213, but the bill has been stuck in Senate wrangling. On Tuesday, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services' temporary hold on Medicare claims ends, and claims will then be processed at the 21 percent cut.

Obama also put Republicans in the spotlight over the issue, saying that although a majority of Congress is willing to prevent the pay cut, some Senate Republicans may block a vote on this issue. "After years of voting to defer these cuts, the other party is now willing to walk away from the needs of our doctors and our seniors."

Permanent reform is necessary, in balance with fiscal responsibility, Obama said. But the pay cut needs to be stopped now. "So I urge Republicans in the Senate to at least allow a majority of Senators and Congressmen to stop this pay cut. I urge them to stand with America's seniors and America's doctors."

"We are pleased to see President Obama stand with seniors and their physicians today to help stop a looming Medicare meltdown," said AMA President J. James Rohack, M.D., in a press release. "Already, 31 percent of primary care physicians are limiting care to Medicare patients, according to a new online survey of physicians who treat Medicare patients. Congress' mismanagement of the Medicare program must end to protect and preserve access to health care for today's seniors and the baby boomers who begin aging into Medicare next year."

President Obama's weekly address: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/weekly-address-president-obama-calls-senate-republicans-allow-a-vote-protect-medica

The AMA press release: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/news/news/obama-address-medicare.shtml

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