October 5, 2001
Ask Congress to correct flawed formula for annual update of Medicare fees
BY JANE STOEVER
Unless Congress acts soon, Medicare payments to physicians will be sharply reduced Jan. 1. Why? Because of flaws in the annual update formula. Unfortunately, the formula is tied to the gross domestic product, so the update will be sensitive to the current economic downturn.
"All of us have been concerned about low Medicare reimbursement, and it's becoming apparent the update in January may cut our payments," says AAFP President Richard Roberts, M.D., J.D., of Madison, Wis.
TALK TRUTH TO POWER
Only Congress can "fix" the formula.That's where you come in."We should tell our representatives our concerns about being able to keep taking care of our Medicare patients if the formula isn't corrected," says Roberts.
About 16 percent of family physicians' patients use Medicare, and about 27 percent of FPs' income comes from Medicare, according to government reports.
However, payments have not kept pace as overhead expenses have escalated. "I know from talking with Academy members this year that some of them are already torn between being able to care for their Medicare patients and keeping their practices afloat," says Roberts.
"There's so much on lawmakers' radar screens right now, that if we don't let Congress hear from us, they won't even know about this threat to Medicare patients," he adds.
The Academy, AMA and other medical societies are working with congressional leaders to promote a cure for the annual update. But Roberts accents the importance of family physicians' calls: "Nothing's more important to an elected official than hearing from the voter back home."
POINTERS
If you haven't called your U.S. representative before, you may not know how to proceed. Whether you reach your legislator or an aide, keep your message brief.
- Ask for Congress to correct Medicare's annual update for physician fees.
- Say why fair Medicare reimbursement is important for you and your patients.
- Be aware that each call gets tallied. The more calls made on a topic, the more attention Congress gives it. "If we don't call, we won't get counted," says Roberts.
- Finally, here's the U.S. Congress switchboard: (202) 224-3121. If you don't know the name of your representative, the operator will tell you after you mention your ZIP code.*
FP Report is published by the AAFP News Department.
Copyright © 2001 by American Academy of Family Physicians.
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