Congress to Consider 2007 Reimbursement Increase

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Joe Barton (R-Texas) and Health Subcommittee Chair Nathan Deal (R-Ga.) are being asked to compromise with House Ways and Means Chair Nancy Johnson (R-Conn.) on legislation that would address a 5.1% reduction in Medicare physician reimbursements scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2007. According to reports, the Barton-Deal proposal would give physicians a 0.5% increase in Medicare payments through 2009 and would offer a 0.25% bonus in 2008 and 2009 to physicians who agree to participate in at least one quality-of-care program. Johnson has proposed a 1% reimbursement increase for all doctors in 2007, with an additional 1.5% increase later in the year for physicians who agree to report quality-of-care data to the government. A compromise on the House and Senate versions is expected from staff negotiations this week and staffers maintain that a "payment fix could be attached" to other legislation. The AMC/NOMA continues to monitor this issue since sending our own correspondence to CMS and legislators on this matter—and the letters you, our members, have forwarded as well from the sample email letter on our Web site. Go to www.amcnoma.org  and follow the prominent “Stop Medicare Cuts” link to add your voice to the fight. Or call the AMA hotline and leave a message for your representatives directly at 800.833.6354.