Senate Approves Jobs Bill, Would Delay 21% Medicare Reimbursement

The Senate voted 70-28 to approve a $15 billion jobs bill, signaling the start of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) broader push to extend COBRA benefits for the unemployed, federal Medicaid funding for states and further delay the 21 percent Medicare reimbursement cut to physicians.

Without congressional action, COBRA health coverage and the delay for Medicare reimbursement cuts are scheduled to expire on Sunday. Senator Reid is seeking unanimous consent to extend those programs to March 28 and plans to schedule subsequent votes for one-year extensions of those programs.