U.S. conservatives threaten delay to fixing Medicare doctor payments

By Susan Cornwell WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Conservative objections over spending are raising doubts over whether the U.S. Senate can quickly approve legislation fixing the Medicare physician payment system, in a possible setback for Republicans keen to show they can get things done. Some Senate conservatives are threatening to insist that the measure be fully paid for, after the House of Representatives passed a version of the "doc fix" bill two weeks ago that would expand the federal deficit. Senate procedural rules confer more power on individual lawmakers, meaning their objections could result in considerable delay and amendments to the bill even if they are in a minority. As approved by the House, the $214 billion initiative would replace a 1990s formula that linked Medicare doctors' reimbursements to economic growth with a new one more focused on quality of care.



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