On Jul. 15, 2008, the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act extended expiring provisions under the Medicare Program, to improve beneficiary access to preventive and mental health services, to enhance low-income benefit programs, and to maintain access to care in rural areas, including pharmacy access, and for other purposes.

This bill prevented a 10.6% cut in payments to physicians treating Medicare patients, freezes current payment rates for 18 months, and provided a 1.1% percent increase in 2009. (P.L. 110-275)