President signs bill delaying Medicare cuts to doctors for two months

President Obama has signed a two-month extension to the payroll tax cut, and also delayed by two months a looming 27 percent Medicare pay cut for physicians.

The president signed the measure after the House and Senate approved it by unanimous consent Dec. 23. The Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011 delays until the end of February decreases in physician payments while extending payroll tax cuts.

A House-Senate conference committee is working on a package to extend the payroll tax cut, including the physician payment provision, through the end of 2012.

HME advocates are attempting to have legislation establishing a Market Pricing Program (MPP) included in the package. MPP would modify Medicare’s existing Competitive Bidding Program.