Doc fix back in Senate extenders bill

Senate Democratic leaders have returned the doc fix provision to the tax extenders bill they're trying to push through the upper chamber this week.

The provision, which the Senate passed as a stand-alone bill last Friday, would temporarily reverse a 21 percent pay cut for doctors treating Medicare patients (which took effect this month), replacing it with a 2.2 percent pay hike through November. House Democratic leaders have been sitting on the bill in order to pressure Senate centrists to pass the tax package. 

The original doc-fix proposal paid the roughly $6 billion tab by scaling back some hospital reimbursements and allowing businesses to delay payments to pension funds. 

We're waiting to hear from Democratic leaders if those pay-fors have been altered in the latest version of the bill.