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The change shouldn't significantly affect how many people seek tax credits to buy a policy through new health insurance markets, a congressional aide familiar with the negotiations said. Starting in 2014, most Americans will be required to carry coverage and insurance companies will no longer be able to turn away those in poor health, or charge them more. The agreement reached by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and other leading senators must still be approved by Congress and signed by Obama. But it is likely to only buy time for Medicare. The doctor cuts are the result of a 1990s budget-balancing law that tried, but failed, to keep Medicare spending in line through automatic reductions. Congress repeatedly stepped in to waive the cuts. This time, with medical groups estimating that as many as two-thirds of doctors would stop taking new Medicare patients, lawmakers faced tremendous pressure. Congress will use the 12-month reprieve to try to come up with a new way of paying doctors that rewards quality care instead of sheer numbers of tests and procedures. If lawmakers fail, they'll be back again next year around the holidays looking for another pot of money to avoid a drastic cut. They may have to rob Paul to pay Peter.
[Associated
Press;
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