American Medical Association President J. James Rohack, MD, who also praised the House bill, said he is looking for swift relief through passage of a companion bill, H.R. 3961, to "permanently repeal the broken physician payment formula."

Jessee also addressed the physician reimbursement formula.

"We are pleased that H.R. 3962 addresses four of our six healthcare reform principles," he said. "Favorable action on H.R. 3961 would address a fifth critical principle – elimination of the Sustainable Growth Rate Formula for determining Medicare physician payment rates."

Karen Ignagni, president and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans, said health plans "strongly support" comprehensive healthcare reform, but not as provided in the House bill.

"This bill imposes inflexible mandates before getting everyone covered and new regulations that duplicate what is already in place at the state level," she said. "Many of these reforms begin in 2010 after employees have already chosen their plans and contracts have been negotiated. The result will be increased costs and massive disruptions in the quality coverage individuals and families rely on today."