Over a two-month period, more than 4,000 ophthalmologists e-mailed and countless others called their senators, urging them to vote for legislation that would stop the devastating 10.6 percent physician payment cut slated for last month. Advocating on behalf of patients and ophthalmology does make a difference. Hours after President Bush’s July 15 veto of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 (H.R. 6331), Congress passed an override by 383-41 in the House, 70-26 in the Senate. The legislation immediately became law, giving physicians a temporary 18-month reprieve from the July 10.6 percent physician payment cut and the 5.5 percent cut scheduled for Jan. 1, 2009.
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