WASHINGTON — The Senate yesterday approved a bill to block an impending 10.6 percent cut in doctors' payments from Medicare and the Pentagon's health program for military members, veterans and their families. U.S. Sens. Daniel K. Inouye and Daniel Akaka, both Hawai'i Democrats, both voted to block the rate cut.

"Congressional approval means the healthcare of our nation's seniors, veterans and active-duty military are no longer in jeopardy," Inouye said.

The bill's future remains uncertain. President Bush has promised to veto it because of its cost. Since doctors' payments in the Pentagon's health program, known as Tricare, are tied directly to Medicare payment levels, the bill would also block those threatened cuts. Tricare is available to active-duty servicemen, National Guard members, reservists, veterans and their dependents.

"This bill will ensure that Medicare and Tricare beneficiaries have continued access to healthcare while enhancing Medicare benefits," Akaka said. "This legislation must become law to protect access to healthcare for seniors, individuals with disabilities and members of our armed services and their families."

The Senate action means that the 170,000 Medicare and 157,000 Tricare enrollees in Hawai'i may not have to be concerned about a potential shortage of doctors willing to treat them. The Medicare cuts were supposed to take effect July 1 as part of a Medicare cost containment program.

The Bush administration, hoping lawmakers could reach a compromise, delayed the reductions until July 15. An American Medical Association survey of nearly 9,000 physicians found that 60 percent would slash the number of new Medicare patients they accept if the scheduled cut takes effect. The voice vote approving the bill took place just after a motion to advance the bill succeeded because some Republicans who had earlier opposed the bill changed their positions.

The Republicans had objected to taking money from private insurance plans known as Medicare Advantage, which cover about 20 percent of seniors nationally. Akaka and Inouye said the bill also contains a provision to provide $15 million to Hawai'i hospitals treating large numbers of Medicaid and uninsured patients.

"It ... provides additional support for Hawai'i hospitals that are struggling to meet the increasing demands of rising costs and the growing number of uninsured patients," Akaka said. U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., who recently underwent surgery for a brain tumor, made a surprise appearance on the Senate floor to vote for the Medicare bill.

The legislation, crafted mainly by U.S. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., who chairs the Senate Finance Committee, won overwhelming support in the House, including votes from U.S. Reps. Neil Abercrombie and Mazie Hirono, both Hawai'i Democrats. But it failed to clear the Senate on a vote taken just before Congress began its Fourth of July recess.

Eun Kyung Kim of GNS contributed to this report. Contact Dennis Camire at dcamire@gns.gannett.com.