Thousands of patients, physicians, nurses and other health care professionals have signed the petition calling for Congress to permanently fix the flawed sustainable growth rate formula (SGR) used to set Medicare physician reimbursement rates. The North Carolina Medical Society joined the petition drive in April, after it was developed by the Texas Medical Association. The NCMS is seeking more signatures before the petition is presented to Congress in early June.
Physicians now face a 21.3 percent Medicare fee cut on June 1. Since December, Congress has delayed the fee cut three times rather than repeal the flawed SGR. Unless the SGR is repealed, there are signs that physicians will limit the number of Medicare patients they see or opt out of the Medicare program, limiting access to seniors.
Access the petition and sign it today. Let Congress know it’s time to repeal the SGR and find a solution that will encourage physicians to participate in the Medicare program and provide seniors access to the health care they need. Urge your patients to sign, too, using this flyer to explain why the SGR must be fixed.
at 10:33 pm
Ask who else would keep the same job, hard hours etc.
with a 21% pay cut
I don’t think so!
at 2:36 pm
Please take the initiative to redress this issue. We can not go in indefinately looking at a 21% cut in reimbursement for servcies. If not changed beneficiaries will clearly not benefit!
at 12:43 pm
If a Medicare fee cut is enacted we will be forced to stop seeing Medicare patients. As psychiatrists our allowable fees are already low compared to other physicians. Access to care would be more restricted if fees are cut. My practice is otherwise full enough that I do not need to see Medicare patients. I do so out of a sense of loyalty to them.
at 9:19 pm
The sgr if unchanged virtually assures limited access to health care for seniors