Medicare patients won a key medical coverage battle last month, but it wasn't easy. The Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (HR 6331) is a bill that extends the expiring provisions in place under the current Medicare program. It also provides Medicare beneficiaries with a number of other benefits. It calls for providing additional preventive medical services, the gradual elimination of copayment rates for psychiatric services, providing coverage of pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation, and a number of other coverage improvements. The bill had great support from within the medical community, and was very popular in the eyes of the general public, but this didn't stop the bill from catching a few snags along the way.

It all started on June 24, 2008 when the House of Representatives voted to pass HR 6331, the Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act of 2008. After the bill passed by an overwhelming majority in the house, it quickly moved to the Senate where it was easily passed by a 69-30 vote on July 9th. However, things were not yet set in stone. The bill still had to make it passed the desk of President George Bush. On July 15th, President Bush decided to use his presidential veto power to stop the bill from becoming law. President Bush made a statement on the matter saying "I support the primary objective of this legislation, to forestall reductions in physicians' payments. Yet taking choices away from seniors to pay physicians is wrong." While the reasoning behind his decision to veto was far from clear, his position on the bill as a whole was obvious nonetheless. With the veto ink still wet, HR 6331 was sent back to the House of Representatives the very same day. With an overwhelming 383-41 majority, the House voted to override the Presidential veto. Following suite, the Senate also chose to override the veto with a vote of 70-26. Finally, the bill was officially passed. So what are the final repercussions?

If the bill was not passed, there would have been an immediate 10.6% cut in physician reimbursements for doctors who treat Medicare beneficiaries. Many feared these cuts would have discouraged doctors from treating Medicare beneficiary patients. This combined with the fact that Medicare patients would also be lacking benefits the new bill has provided them with, would leave those on Medicare with limited access to much needed medical services. The 10.6% cut was set to take effect on July 1, 2008, as a result of a formula that demands cuts when spending exceeds established amounts. This would have drastically increased costs for those dealing with serious long term illnesses and those who are involved with a Medicare Set Aside. Basically, a Medicare Set Aside is a plan used in workers compensation, no fault, or limited liability claim settlements to determine what amount, if any, is appropriate to set aside for future medical expenses related to an injury. With limited coverage, and increased doctor discouragement for treating Medicare patients, those with long term medical needs would have been seriously effected.

With the passing of the Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, Medicare has taken a big step forward toward program wide improvement. While there is still much reform work to be done, legislation such as this gives everybody hope that a fair balance can be reached between patients, doctors, legislators and tax payers.