AMA calls on Congress to fix update problem

     The American Medical Association is urging Congress to fix the Medicare physician payment update problem and help to avoid a 5.4% across-the-board cut in Medicare physicians payments in 2002.  The cut may also jeopardize quality patient care for seniors.  "If this cut goes into effect, it will be the fourth cut in physician payments in ten years," states Timothy T. Flaherty, MD, AMA Chair.

     "Physicians have not abandoned their Medicare patients, but decreasing Medicare reimbursement and increasing Medicare regulation may make it difficult for new Medicare patients to find a physician." says Dr. Flaherty.  Press reports in many areas of the country have indicated that Medicare patients are having a more difficult time finding a physician and that nearly 30% of family physicians are not accepting new Medicare patients.

     The AMA has noted that applying the actual numbers for 1998 and 1999 rather than the inaccurate CMS estimates would avert an across-the board cut.  Congress never intended for our nation's seniors to be penalized by the use of  flawed estimates.

For more information on this topic you may visit the AMA website at www.ama-assn.org