Medicare Physician Payment Action Kit
Physicians received a 10-month reprieve from a 27 percent cut in Medicare payments scheduled for March 1, extending current payment rates through the end of the year, under an agreement reached by a House-Senate conference committee. The agreement is part of a deal to extend a payroll tax cut and added unemployment benefits. This is the 14th short term patch to the SGR in the last 10 years. The AMA will continue to urge Congress to repeal the SGR and stop this terrible cycle that breeds uncertainty for physicians and their practices, and continually threatens seniors access to critical care.
"The House and Senate conference committee agreement averts a 27 percent cut on March 1, but it represents a serious missed opportunity to permanently replace the flawed Medicare physician payment formula and protect access to care for military families and seniors," said AMA President Peter W. Carmel, MD.
Because Congress once again failed to repeal the SGR, the Congressional Budget Office projected that the next cut, scheduled to occur on January 1, 2013, will be about 30 percent. Repealing the SGR remains the sound, fiscally prudent policy choice. The AMA will continue to urge Congress to repeal the SGR and stop this terrible cycle that breeds uncertainty for physicians and their practices, and continually threatens seniors access to critical care.
Tell your members of Congress that permanent repeal of Medicare's flawed sustainable growth rate is the fiscally responsible thing to do. Register your concerns by calling the AMA's grassroots hotline at (800) 833-6354 and speaking with your elected officals. Ask your representatives and senators what specific steps they will take to end the annual SGR fiasco.
Select your state below to see how the looming Medicare cuts will affect access to care. Patients in many areas of the country already face problems getting physician care, and the problems will get worse unless Congress acts quickly to prevent the cuts and works to repeal the broken Medicare physician payment formula.
Access to physicians in jeopardy as rates fall further behind cost increases
Medicare and Tricare Patient's Flyer
SGR Budget Proposals Across Political Spectrum
AMA Analysis: 2012 Medicare Physician Payment Schedule Final Rule
2012 Medicare Physician Payment Proposed Rule - AMA Comments
2012 Medicare physician payment proposed rule summary and analysis
AMA Survey of American Public on Medicare Physician Payment Cuts
The Impact of Medicare Physician Payment on Seniors Access To Care - AMA Online Survey of Physicians
Sign-on letter to Conferees re: SGR Repeal, January 23, 2012
Letter to Physician Members of the Doctors Caucus urging SGR Repeal, November 17, 2011
Sign-on letter to Deficit Reduction Committee urging repeal of the SGR, November 10, 2011
Beneficiary-Provider letter to Congress, October 20, 2011
Sign-on Letter to MedPAC on SGR, October 3, 2011
W&M Testimony, "Expiring Medicare Provider Payment Policies," September 21, 2011
Sign-on letter to Sen. Murray, Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, September 20, 2011
Sign-on letter to Rep. Hensarling, Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, September 20, 2011
Sign-on letter to President Obama to repeal the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate, June 27, 2011
E&C Testimony, "The Need to Move Beyond the SGR," May 5, 2011
Letter to the Senate urging elimination of the SGR, March 10, 2011
Letter to the House urging elimination of the SGR, March 10, 2011
The AMA launched a campaign in early 2012 to urge patients and physicians to tell Congress that the time for repeal of the broken Medicare physician payment formula is now. The video below is part of the AMA's grassroots effort to urge patients and physicians to contact Congress and encourage repeal of the Medicare physician payment formula.
