On
Thursday, February 26, 2010 the US House of Representatives passed legislation extending the current
Medicare physician payment rates for 30 days. The Senate failed to
pass the same legislation and adjourned for the weekend. This means that a 21% physician payment cut became effective on Monday, March 1.
According to the AMA, the bill did not pass due to objections raised by Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY) who objected that the $10 billion cost of the program extension was not offset.
CMS has asked their claims payment contractors
to hold physician claims for 10 business days beginning this Monday.
Should you wish to let AMA and or Congress know of your
dissatisfaction, AMA has issued the following talking points:
-Congress had more than a year to repeal the Medicare payment formula and ensure the security and stability of the program. Instead, it has abandoned patients who rely on Medicare and TRICARE for their health care.
-Parliamentary procedures offer no excuse for the harm they are causing these programs.
-Stop playing games with patients and the physicians; repeal the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula once and for all.
Use AMA's Grassroots Hotline: 1.800.833.6354, to call your legislators today.
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