AMCNO president writes to Congress regarding the impending Medicare payment cuts

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) recently announced that Medicare physician payment rates would be reduced by 10 percent in 2008 under current law. The 110th Congress, under Democratic leadership, will again be reviewing the perennial issue of Medicare’s annual payment update to physicians, which is controlled by the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula. Late last year, Congress passed H.R. 6111, the Tax Relief and Health Care Act, which intervened to stop the impending 5 percent cut to Medicare physician reimbursement. Due to a myriad of federal budgetary rules, Congress decided to push the cut, scheduled for 2007, into 2008. This, of course, has resulted in physicians now facing a 10 percent payment cut in 2008 – the original 5 percent cut they faced under the SGR in 2007 along with the additional 5 percent SGR cut for 2008.

The AMCNO president has sent a letter to all Congressional leaders from our area and we urge our members to do the same. Members may send letters to Congress directly by clicking here.