A physician member of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee said he is optimistic Medicare’s failed sustainable growth rate (SGR) payment formula will be repealed this year. The key issue will be bringing the bill to a vote by March 31.
Rep. Michael Burgess, MD, R-Texas, spoke Thursday to physicians at the AMA National Advocacy Conference about the bipartisan legislation that his committee agreed upon with the U.S. Ways and Means Committee and the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, H.R. 4015/S. 2000.
“I certainly have heard from you all over the years … about the anxiety that exists over this issue,” Dr. Burgess said, “and it’s time to move on and do something else.”
“This is the first time—the first time—that all three committees of jurisdiction, Republicans and Democrats, agreed on SGR repeal legislation,” he said. “So this is a very important time.”
He noted that in addition to eliminating the SGR formula, the bill would align Medicare quality reporting programs so physicians only need to report one way and would maintain a fee-for-service payment option.
He also pointed to the modest payment update as a significant part of the bill. “I don’t think that a 0.5 percent update is sufficient in a 10-year bill,” he said. But it provides “you with stability, with certainty of what to expect in years to come. This is bipartisan, so if there are things that need to be changed, we can come back to do that. This is Congress working the way it’s supposed to work.”
“I am optimistic that before March 31 something could come to the House floor,” Dr. Burgess said. “There are ideas out there that could lead us to a vote pretty quickly.”
The crucial issue, he said, will be getting both chambers of Congress to vote on the legislation before time runs out.
“We need to schedule a vote. The committees have done what they can do. The leadership now needs to be leaders. We have this thing within our grasp; we’re farther than we’ve ever been,” he said. “History will not judge us kindly if we do not succeed on this endeavor.”
Call on your members of Congress to vote for SGR repeal and co-sponsor the bill, H.R. 4015/S. 2000. Contact their offices via the AMA’s toll-free grassroots hotline at (800) 833-6354, and email them through FixMedicareNow.org today.
