The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, or MedPAC, is drafting a plan for Congress that includes a repeal of the sustainable growth rate, which is used to determine physician Medicare payments, according to an AHA News Now report.
If no Congressional action is taken on the SGR, Medicare payment rates for physicians will fall by 29.4 percent in January. MedPAC's plan calls for frozen reimbursements for primary care physicians, while all other specialties would see reduced annual payments of 5.9 percent for three years also followed by a freeze, the report said.
Roughly $200 billion over 10 years would still have to be found elsewhere to cover the fix. MedPAC plans to propose cuts to other parts of the healthcare system, as well. A final proposal is scheduled to hit Congress in October.
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If no Congressional action is taken on the SGR, Medicare payment rates for physicians will fall by 29.4 percent in January. MedPAC's plan calls for frozen reimbursements for primary care physicians, while all other specialties would see reduced annual payments of 5.9 percent for three years also followed by a freeze, the report said.
Roughly $200 billion over 10 years would still have to be found elsewhere to cover the fix. MedPAC plans to propose cuts to other parts of the healthcare system, as well. A final proposal is scheduled to hit Congress in October.
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