More than 100 state medical and specialty societies, including the North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS), joined the AMA and signed on to a letter to congressional leaders outlining key principles in transitioning from the SGR to a higher performing Medicare program. While the letter calls for the elimination of the SGR, it also recognizes that physicians can proactively put forth the core elements to form the basis for a new federal policy and transition away from the current flawed physician payment system.

“The AMA has consistently urged Congress to eliminate the broken Medicare physician payment formula so we can begin to transition to new payment and delivery innovations that improve patient care,” said AMA President Jeremy A. Lazarus, M.D. “Today, we offer principles that should be the foundation of a new system that supports physicians in improving the delivery of care with payment options that benefit patients, physicians and the Medicare program.”

Read the letter and the principles as well as see what organizations signed on.