Medicare reform more palatable as stew, not sausage

AMA Leader Commentary. By Richard F. Corlin, MD. May 20, 2002.

A message to all physicians from AMA President Richard F. Corlin, MD.

Congress has before it a full plate of issues to deal with -- all related to Medicare. Among those issues:

Medicare payment update: The AMA and other physician groups continue to wage an effective campaign to stop the outrageous physician payment cuts. The good news is that The New York Times recently reported that "Many lawmakers say their top priority is to increase Medicare payments to doctors." Congress cannot and will not allow cuts of nearly 20% over four years to occur.
Regulatory Relief Act: Simplifying Medicare regulations, as well as putting in place both due process rights for physicians and a sense of fairness in conducting audits of physician offices, remains an essential task. The Regulatory Relief Act also contains requirements holding the carrier-intermediaries to the terms of their contracts, requiring them to give physicians correct answers to billing and coding questions, and then following up with written confirmation of those answers. (Think about this -- a recent investigation by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General found that the carrier-intermediaries administering the Medicare program answered even their questions right only 15% of the time.)
Pharmaceutical benefits: This issue has been gaining great popularity with the public. Balancing patient needs and fiscal responsibility requires Solomon-like judgments.

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