The American Association of Medical Colleges sent a letter to 20 U.S. senators and representatives appointed to draft legislation on the payroll tax holiday and fixing the Medicare physician sustainable growth rate urging them not to cut hospital reimbursement for outpatient evaluation and management services in order to fund an SGR repeal, according to a Bloomberg BNA report.
The SGR extension that delayed cuts until the end of February did not include E&M cuts; however, earlier draft legislation (H.R. 3630) would have cut HOPD E&M payments to physician-office reimbursement levels, saving $6.8 billion over 10 years.
The committee is expected to meet soon on developing a year-long extension for the payroll tax holiday and SGR.
The AAMC argues that any efforts to revive the E&M cuts could be detrimental to hospitals by reducing patient access and medical resident training, according to the report.
AAMC Report Urges Teaching Hospitals to Manage Physician-Industry Financial Relationships
The SGR extension that delayed cuts until the end of February did not include E&M cuts; however, earlier draft legislation (H.R. 3630) would have cut HOPD E&M payments to physician-office reimbursement levels, saving $6.8 billion over 10 years.
The committee is expected to meet soon on developing a year-long extension for the payroll tax holiday and SGR.
The AAMC argues that any efforts to revive the E&M cuts could be detrimental to hospitals by reducing patient access and medical resident training, according to the report.
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AHA, AAMC Urge Hospitals to Oppose Cuts in SGR FixAAMC Report Urges Teaching Hospitals to Manage Physician-Industry Financial Relationships