The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 temporarily blocks a scheduled 10 percent cut in payments to doctors from Medicare. However, the bill does give a 1.1 percent raise to doctors for the use of electronic prescriptions and for reporting on quality of care.

The Act extends through 2009 the Quality Individual Program that pays the Medicare premiums of low-income individuals. The bill also increases the amount of assets applicants are able to possess and still qualify for the Medicare Savings Program, which helps low-income beneficiaries pay the costs of Medicare benefits.

This article originally appeared in the August 2008 issue of AAKP Public Policy Briefing.