The United States Senate passed a bill to delay automatic spending cuts to Medicare payments for healthcare providers set to kick in on April 1. The bill delays the cuts until December 2021.
The bill was largely prompted by the 2011 Budget Control Act, which instituted annual 2% reductions in Medicare payments as part of an effort to rein in spending and push both parties to compromise. Congress has voted to avert planned cuts to the popular program every year, in addition to raising spending caps.
The legislation passed in a 90-2 vote, with only Senators Rand Paul (R-Ky) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa) voting against the measure.
