Date: January 5, 2006
To: Key Contacts of the House and Senate State Chapter Executives
From: Roland Goertz, M.D., Chair, Commission on Governmental Advocacy
Kevin J. Burke, Director, Division of Government Relations
Act Immediately to Reverse the Medicare Physician Payment Formula
URGENT KEY CONTACT ALERT
Subject: AAFP Medicare Payment ACTION ALERT
The Academy needs your help!
Congress adjourned for the holidays before fixing the formula used to determine physician payment rates under Medicare. As a result, your Medicare payment rates have been cut 4.4 percent effective January 1. Moreover, if Congress doesn't change the law that contains the dysfunctional and outdated sustainable growth rate formula (SGR), Medicare payment rates will be cut by 26 percent over the next six years.
Please act immediately and contact your members of Congress in either of the following ways:
Congress adjourned for the holidays before fixing the formula used to determine physician payment rates under Medicare. As a result, your Medicare payment rates have been cut 4.4 percent effective January 1. Moreover, if Congress doesn't change the law that contains the dysfunctional and outdated sustainable growth rate formula (SGR), Medicare payment rates will be cut by 26 percent over the next six years.
Please act immediately and contact your members of Congress in either of the following ways:
- call him or her at the Capitol Switchboard, 202-224-3121;
- use the attached letter; or
- write your own letter and fax it. Please identify yourself as a constituent; or
- send an e-mail through the AAFP Speak Out Program. Visit http://capitol.aafp.org and enter your zip code under Congress & President, then click Go!
America’s seniors need their doctors and they need a stable Medicare program they can count on. Please contact your Members of Congress immediately and let us know of any replies or responses you receive by sending an e-mail to Speakout@aafp.org.
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear Senator/Representative:
As you know, physician payment under Medicare has been decreased 4.4 percent effective January 1, 2006. Moreover, due to the dysfunctional and outdated sustainable growth rate formula (SGR) that is in statute, Medicare physician payment rates will be cut by 26 percent over the next six years.
The Medicare Physician Fee Schedule is the only Medicare reimbursement method that has not kept pace with practice expense increases since 2001. This method of determining payment rates is harmful to Medicare beneficiaries as it jeopardizes the stability of the Medicare system. Payment cuts of this magnitude adversely affect access to care for our nation’s seniors. This was demonstrated by a recent AMA survey which found that if these payment cuts are not reversed, more than a third (38 percent) of physicians will find it necessary to decrease the number of new Medicare patients they accept. Moreover, an estimated 34 percent of physicians whose practice serves a rural patient population will discontinue rural outreach services.
Please act immediately to reverse these cuts and fix this problematic formula. America’s seniors need their doctors and they need a stable Medicare program they can count on.
As you know, physician payment under Medicare has been decreased 4.4 percent effective January 1, 2006. Moreover, due to the dysfunctional and outdated sustainable growth rate formula (SGR) that is in statute, Medicare physician payment rates will be cut by 26 percent over the next six years.
The Medicare Physician Fee Schedule is the only Medicare reimbursement method that has not kept pace with practice expense increases since 2001. This method of determining payment rates is harmful to Medicare beneficiaries as it jeopardizes the stability of the Medicare system. Payment cuts of this magnitude adversely affect access to care for our nation’s seniors. This was demonstrated by a recent AMA survey which found that if these payment cuts are not reversed, more than a third (38 percent) of physicians will find it necessary to decrease the number of new Medicare patients they accept. Moreover, an estimated 34 percent of physicians whose practice serves a rural patient population will discontinue rural outreach services.
Please act immediately to reverse these cuts and fix this problematic formula. America’s seniors need their doctors and they need a stable Medicare program they can count on.
Key Contact Alerts
