New Legislation Introduced to Stop the Medicare Payment Cuts – Voice Your Support Now

IMPORTANT LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: S. 3101 has been introduced in the Senate. This bill would stop the Medicare physician payment cuts for 18 months, long enough to begin working on a long-term solution to the broken payment system. In addition, the bill will not increase the cost of permanently fixing the fatally flawed Medicare physician payment system.

S. 3101, “Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act of 2008.” was introduced by Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. The bill would provide an 18-month Medicare physician payment fix; stop the 10.6% Medicare physician payment cut scheduled for July 1, 2008, as well as the additional cut of 5% or more projected for January 1, 2009; continue the existing 0.5% increase through December 31, 2008, and provide an additional 1.1% update for 2009.

The bill would also extend the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) for 2 years and provide a 2% bonus payment for physicians who report PQRI measures in 2009 and 2010.

The July 1st date is edging closer and it is imperative that physicians from Ohio contact Senators George V. Voinovich and Sherrod Brown immediately to voice their support of S3101. The AMCNO urges our members to contact both Senators today. Senator Voinovich may be contacted at 202-224-3353 and Senator Brown may be contacted at 202-224-2315.