MINNEAPOLIS, March 17, 2010 - The U.S. House passed another short-term extension of existing Medicare physician payment rates Wednesday through April 30, again postponing the 21.3 percent cut that was scheduled to take effect January 1.

The House passed by voice vote H.R. 4851, the Continuing Extension Act of 2010, which was introduced Tuesday by Ways and Means Committee chairman Sander Levin (D-MI).

If passed by the Senate, this will be the third effort by Congress during the past few months to provide additional time to develop and pass a long-term solution to the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula.

Earlier this month, the Senate approved a measure delaying the cut until October 1, but the House has not approved that measure.