WASHINGTON—On the bill to undo a steep pay cut to doctors serving Medicare patients, Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond was apparently for it before he was against it and then for it again.  

Last week, Bond voted against the bill, when the tally was 69-to-30. But yesterday he voted to override President Bush’s veto of the measure.

Shana Marchio, a Bond spokeswoman, said that Bond had intended to support the override all along but was unhappy with Senate Democrats for “playing election-year games” with the bill by limiting debate on it.

Here’s her explanation:  

“Senator Bond has always opposed the Medicare payment cuts to doctors and
has voted in previous years to stop these devastating and harmful cuts.
The Medicare payment formula for doctors is unfair, unpredictable and
must be reformed long term.  He also supports the protections for other
providers including pharmacists, community health centers, ambulance
providers, rural providers, and durable medical equipment dealers
contained in the bill.

Marchio noted that Bond signaled last week his intention to eventually support an override in comments to a Capitol Hill newspaper.