1.   Blue Cross companies in California, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, among others, have lowered physician fees in the last year.

2.   However, Part B, which covers physician fees and related services, is financed by premiums from beneficiaries and general tax revenues.

3.   Physician fees, hospital costs, prescription drug costs, people are worried about prices.

4.   That is why the Republicans are also planning to make huge cuts in hospital rates as well as physician fees.

5.   The Part B insurance component covering physician fees and related services poses its own problems.