|
Urge Your Senators to Support S. 1776 - The Medicare Physician Fairness Act
The Senate is expected to begin debate and vote on a stand alone physician payment measure (S. 1776) next week. S. 1776 would repeal the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula that is currently used to establish annual Medicare physician payment updates and reset the budget baseline that is the primary obstacle to Medicare physician payment reform. Originally, a provision to provide a short-term increase in Medicare payments to physicians and avert the scheduled 21% cut to take effect January 1 was to be included in the larger health reform measure. However, Senate leaders have determined to deal with the physician payment issue in stand alone legislation. It is critical that every member of the Senate hear from physician constituents urging passage of S. 1776. To contact your Senators, please click the take action button below.
Dear [ Decision Maker ] , As a hematologist, who takes care of patients with Medicare, I write to urge you to support S. 1776 the Medicare Physician Fairness Act. This bill would repeal the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula that is currently used to establish annual Medicare physician updates and would provide a foundation for creating a new and more sound payment formula. Unless Congress acts physicians will face a 21% cut in their Medicare fees beginning January 1, 2010. This follows almost 10 years of instability in Medicare payment caused by the flaws in the SGR formula. These kinds of payment cuts are unsustainable and can not be tolerated by the Medicare program. I strongly urge you to support passage of S. 1776 and a permanent solution for Medicare physician payment.
Sincerely, |
Campaign Launched: |
| Background Information |
Each year, Medicare calculates physician payments using a statutory formula known as the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR). This formula is flawed and is based on an outdated calculation system. Consequently, SGR payment updates to physicians have not kept pace with medical inflation. For almost 10 years physicians have faced cuts in their Medicare fees dictated by the SGR. During most of this time, physicians have been able to convince the Congress to reverse the cuts through temporary and costly measures.
Beginning January 1, 2010, physicians face a 21% cut in their Medicare fees unless Congress acts. Congressional Democrats had planned to reverse the cut and potentially even "re-base" the fee schedule to avert future cuts as part of health care overhaul bills in the House and Senate. However, Senate leadership has decided to take up the physician payment as stand alone legislation the week of October 18th. For more details visit http://hematology.org/News/2009/4355.aspx.
