There will be at least 14 MDs in the 111th Congress, two more than in the current session, according to the Wall Street Journal. Read more...  

CMS has announced a 1.1 percent increase for physician payments under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) final rule for calendar year 2009. Physicians have a chance to earn up to a 5.1 percent pay boost next year for adoption and use of e-prescribing and compliance with the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI). The rates and policies adopted in the final rule will apply to services furnished on or after Jan. 1. Read more...  

Physician Hospitals of America reports that it has "received information … that physician hospitals are no longer being used as an offset in the Mental Health Parity bill," says Molly Sandvig, JD, the organization's executive director. "The MHP bill was added to a pending 'tax extender' bill, which also covers the Alternative Minimum Tax issue. Although there was a rumor that physician hospitals may be added to the tax extender bill, that rumor has also been put to rest.

"This is a great outcome for our industry." Read more...  

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has signed a bill (S. 2863) into law which includes a section requiring pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers to report any payment or gift of more than $50 made to a healthcare professional. Read more...  

Congress recently passed a bill with wide-ranging effects as pertains to Medicare. The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (H.R. 6331) went into effect July 15 when Congress overrode President Bush's veto of the legislation.

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Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has introduced legislation aimed at increasing transparency in physician self-referrals for Medicare imaging services. Read more...  

It has been confirmed by several sources within the House of Representatives that, late last night the House version of the Supplemental Appropriations Bill was finalized with the Bush Administration, according to Physician Hospitals of America. Read more...  

The Senate voted 54-39 to block a Medicare package bill Sen. Max Baucus (D-N.D.) introduced last week that proposed to raise physician payments 1.1 percent instead of slashing them 10.6 percent, as had been slated for next month. Read more...  

Sen. Max Baucus (D-N.D.) introduced on Friday a Medicare package bill that would raise physician payments 1.1 percent instead of slashing them 10.6 percent, as had been slated for next month. Read more...