Thirty Senators penned a letter November 1 to Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and Ranking Member Charles Grassley (R-IA) stating their opposition to further cuts to medical imaging as the Committee continues to craft its version of Medicare legislation this fall.

The letter, originally drafted by Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI), addresses cuts that were included in the House passed CHAMP Act and states, "These reductions are being proposed on top of the $13 billion of recently implemented cuts in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 ... we hope that you will oppose additional cuts to these critical medical services proposed by the House."

This message is being delivered at a critical time as lawmakers work to halt a looming 10% cut in overall physician reimbursement called for under the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula. Both the Senate and the House have characterized addressing the imminent 2008 SGR cut as "must pass" legislation which will then serve as a vehicle for other changes to the Medicare program. Any final Medicare legislation will likely be included in an end of year omnibus package that includes several spending bills and other "must pass" legislative initiatives.
The following Senators signed the letter to the Finance Committee:

Jim Bunning (R-KY)
Mike Crapo (R-ID)
Herb Kohl (D-WI)
Richard Burr (R-NC)
Chris Dodd (D-CA)
Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
Richard Durbin (D-IL)
Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
Ben Cardin (D-MD)
Russ Feingold (D-WI)
Patty Murray (D-WA)
Robert Casey (D-PA)
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
Ben Nelson (D-NE)
Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
Tom Harkin (D-IA)
Mark Pryor (D-AR)
Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
Ken Salazar (D-CO)
Norm Coleman (R-MN)
Tim Johnson (D-SD)
Arlen Specter (R-PA)
Susan Collins (R-ME)
Edward Kennedy (D-MA)
David Vitter 9R-LA)
John Cornyn (R-TX)
Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
John Warner (R-VA)

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