The Hill (5/20, Pecquet) reports, "House Democrats are seeking to assuage doctors worried about looming cuts to Medicare rates. The effort comes one day after the American Medical Association declared its opposition to a proposed five-year fix to the payment system, which it said only serves to kick the problem down the road." On Wednesday, "Democrats...reiterated their support for a repeal, but view that as too expensive an option right now, given the $1.3 trillion budget deficit. Permanent repeal would add $250 billion to the nation's deficit with no corresponding spending cuts or tax increases." Notably, "sources on and off Capitol Hill...say the expansive package the House wants will not survive in the Senate."

        CQ Today (5/20, Rubin) points out that even if the Senate were to pass the measure, "the overall deal must be sold to the Democratic majorities in both chambers, many of whom are increasingly wary this campaign season about voting for a measure that would increase the deficit by as much as $170 billion." Meanwhile, "Democratic leaders, along with the chairmen of the tax-writing Senate Finance and House Ways and Means committees, continue to negotiate toward a bill, but the absence of a locked-in deal by Wednesday night increased the prospects that a House vote would not occur before next week."

        Roll Call (5/20, Roth) reports, "American Medical Association officials as well as lobbyists from doctors groups were summoned to a meeting in Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office at 5 p.m. Wednesday. In an e-mail from Wendell Primus, the California Democrat's senior policy adviser on budget and health issues, the participants were told they would receive an 'update on SGR," meaning "the sustainable growth rate formula to which doctors' Medicare payments are tied."

        The Hill's (5/20, Pecquet) "On the Money" blog also reports that during the meeting, "medical associations and advocates for the elderly...were told they must strengthen their case." Notably, the "meeting was aimed at creating pressure to convince Republicans and recalcitrant Democrats worried about running up the deficit to vote for the fix, which under a House proposal would put off the payment cut for five years at a cost of $88.5 billion. One attendee told The Hill that the attendees were told to do all they can to put pressure on lawmakers 'because time is running out.'"

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