article_snippet.sent: Washington (CNN)In a broad bipartisan vote, the Senate on Tuesday gave final approval to a Medicare reform bill that includes a permanent solution to the "doc fix," a method the government has used to ensure payments to Medicare providers will keep up with inflation.
article_snippet.sent: a Medicare reform bill that includes a permanent solution to the "doc fix," a method the government has used to ensure payments to Medicare providers, also includes a two-year extension of a popular children's health insurance program.
article_snippet.sent: The issue of payments to Medicare providers has been a thorny issue for years.  
article_snippet.sent: Tonight, the Senate the Senate is voting to retire the outdated, inefficiency-rewarding, common sense-defying Medicare reimbursement system," said Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on Senate Finance Committee just before the final vote.
article_snippet.sent: Any deal should be fully paid for and include significant and structural reforms to Medicare.