The House on Thursday passed a bill that did not have the votes to pass.

It was clear that a bill ensuring doctors’ Medicare payments aren’t cut did not have enough support, so Republican leaders struck a closed-door agreement with Democrats to pass it by voice vote while members were not yet in the chamber, according to members and aides from both parties.

The voice vote allowed members to avoid a tough roll call, which would have forced them to either vote for a bill they do not support or allow doctors who treat Medicare patients to take a pay cut, incensing powerful outside interests.