In a letter to lawmakers, the Alliance of Specialty Medicine called for a permanent fix to Medicare's formula for annual payment increases to physicians.
If Congress does not pass a budget before the new year, widespread tax increases and spending cuts will take effect, including a 26.5 percent cut to physicians' Medicare reimbursements. The ASM, which represents several national specialty physician groups, claims the cuts would cause health systems to not invest in new treatments and physicians to reconsider accepting as many Medicare patients.
Since 2002, when Congress introduced the sustainable growth rate, legislation has overridden the formula to freeze or slow payment rate growth. The ASM urged Congress to dump the SGR and pass a permanent solution.
More Articles on the Sustainable Growth Rate:
11 Recent Medicare, Medicaid Issues
Physician Groups Gear Up to Fight for SGR Repeal
National Health Spending Growth Stays Below 4% for 6th Straight Month
If Congress does not pass a budget before the new year, widespread tax increases and spending cuts will take effect, including a 26.5 percent cut to physicians' Medicare reimbursements. The ASM, which represents several national specialty physician groups, claims the cuts would cause health systems to not invest in new treatments and physicians to reconsider accepting as many Medicare patients.
Since 2002, when Congress introduced the sustainable growth rate, legislation has overridden the formula to freeze or slow payment rate growth. The ASM urged Congress to dump the SGR and pass a permanent solution.
More Articles on the Sustainable Growth Rate:
11 Recent Medicare, Medicaid Issues
Physician Groups Gear Up to Fight for SGR Repeal
National Health Spending Growth Stays Below 4% for 6th Straight Month