CMS chief to leave agency; claims drug benefit top triumph

The AMA called for Dr. McClellan to step up pressure on Congress for a Medicare physician pay fix in his final weeks on the job.

By David Glendinning, AMNews staff. Sept. 25, 2006.

Washington -- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mark McClellan, MD, PhD, will resign his post at the agency within a few weeks, but that still leaves enough time for Congress to craft a long-term solution to the Medicare physician payment issue that he and the Bush administration can approve, he said.

Dr. McClellan, who has been in charge of CMS since March 2004, announced Sept. 5 that he would be leaving the job as soon as an acting chief can be put in place, no later than early October. That is about the time Congress plans to adjourn to prepare for this year's midterm elections, capping a jam-packed month on Capitol Hill in which many legislative priorities receive their last best chance for congressional approval.

"We are going to be working closely with Congress on trying to get to a better payment system for physicians, one that is more focused on quality and is more sustainable and gives physicians better payments for better care while keeping overall costs down," he said during a conference call with reporters following his announcement. "I think there's a good chance of making some real progress toward that system this month."

The American Medical Association called on Dr. McClellan to make one final push to convince Congress to block next year's projected 5.1% physician pay cut before lawmakers adjourn.

"It is our hope that, before leaving CMS, Dr. McClellan will intensify his efforts to help physicians provide the best possible care to Medicare patients by supporting congressional efforts to ensure that the 2007 Medicare physician payment update will reflect the increase in physicians' practice costs," said AMA Board Chair Cecil B. Wilson, MD.