The 2007 Medicare Physician Payment Schedule increased the relative value units, or RVUs, for many services provided by family physicians. AAFP applauds these adjustments -- which support increased physician/patient communication -- and encourages all payers to adopt them.
The AAFP sees the RVU increases to evaluation and management services as a step in the right direction, but not a fix. Congress is failing all of medicine by not acting on the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula. Learn more about the SGR on the CMS Web site.
RVU Increase
Our Stance
Member Wins
- In August 2006, a coalition of 27 organizations threw their support behind primary care when they signed onto a comment letter to (then) CMS Administrator Mark McClellan regarding Medicare physician payments. Read the letter (2-page PDF file; About PDFs).
AAFP Advocacy Activities
- In November 2006, AAFP sent a letter to 56 health plans urging them to accept the 2007 Payment Schedule's RVU increase. The letter also asks payers not to make the E/M changes budget-neutral by adjusting the conversion factor for E/M services. Read the letter (2-page PDF; About PDFs).
Make Your Voice Heard
- Urge your payers to adopt the 2007 RVU increases. Download a template letter (2-page Word document; About Downloading), personalize it and send it to your payers.
- We want to hear about your experiences. Submit a health plan grievance or view grievances submitted by other members (Members Only).
