Physicians from dozens of states are meeting face to face this week on Capitol Hill with their members of Congress, calling for immediate action to eliminate the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula by March 31 and revitalize the Medicare system.
“It’s part of our responsibility [as physicians] to be patient advocates,” said Mary Milroy, MD, a surgeon in Yankton, S.D. “The SGR has been a really onerous burden on physicians and patients. Now we finally have a chance to change that.”
Dr. Milroy came to the nation’s capital for the AMA’s National Advocacy Conference with a team of colleagues. They met with each of their state’s lawmakers, who have come to recognize their names and faces.
“It’s important to be here so our members of Congress know that we take this issue very seriously,” said Mary Carpenter, MD, a family physician in Winner, S.D. “In order to keep stability in our practices and for rural medicine, we’re watching what they’re doing very closely to make sure [Medicare reform] happens for our patients.”
Despite a common misperception that Congress doesn’t care what constituents think, 95 percent of federal lawmakers said that staying in touch with the people they represent in their home states is their most important priority, according to a recent survey by the Congressional Management Foundation.
The conference’s two days of congressional visits are expected to be especially influential, given that lawmakers have just a few weeks left to pass bipartisan legislation that would repeal the SGR formula and set Medicare on course toward a modern system of care.
“If we’re not here to talk to our members of Congress, then what is the problem?” said Michael Sandler, MD, a diagnostic radiologist in Detroit, Mich. When lawmakers don’t hear from their constituents, then they think everything is fine, Dr. Sandler said. “We have to demonstrate to them that yes, the SGR is a problem.”
Dr. Sandler has been advocating for SGR repeal since the call began more than a decade ago. “We need to shore up their support, thank them for past support and ask them to work with their leadership to get this done.”
The message seems to be getting through. Enno Heuscher, MD, a sports medicine specialist in Cedaredge, Colo., said there was a notable difference in support for repeal this year over previous years. “We received very positive feedback,” Dr. Heuscher said. “I’ve never had that experience in the past.”
On Wednesday, National Day of Action for SGR Repeal, the bill in the House of Representatives gathered 31 new sponsors – a sign that physicians’ efforts are working. An additional 20 sponsors signed on to the bill Thursday, bringing the total number of sponsors to 83.
For physicians who weren’t able to join their colleagues in visits to Capitol Hill, important work remains to be done. Congress needs to hear from you. Call your members of Congress at (800) 833-6354, and email them via FixMedicareNow.org today. Tell them to repeal SGR and co-sponsor the bill, H.R. 4015/S. 2000.
