STARK JOINS PHYSICIANS, SENIORS, AND MILITARY GROUPS IN PRAISING POLICY TO ENSURE ACCESS TO DOCTORS
Congressional Desk
June 07, 2010
Provision in H.R. 4213 Would Ensure Access to Physicians for Seniors and Military Families
WASHINGTON – Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Chairman Pete Stark (D-CA) joined with the Medicare Rights Center, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Military Officers Association of America, and the American College of Physicians in praising legislation that would ensure access to physicians in Medicare and TRICARE for seniors and military families. The provision in H.R. 4213, the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act, would cancel scheduled cuts to physician payment rates in Medicare and TRICARE.
Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Chairman Pete Stark (D-CA): "Seniors and military families should not have to wonder on a month-to-month basis if they'll be able to see their doctor. This legislation provides three and a half years of stability to doctors and their patients and implements a reformed payment system. While it isn't the permanent solution I authored, it is the best we can do now. We will continue to work together for a permanent solution."
Ted Epperly, MD, FFAFP, Chair of the AAFP Board of Directors: "The payment proposal offered by the House Ways and Means Committee recognizes the importance of allowing for growth in the services provided by primary care physicians, especially if we are to respond to the increased demand for these services as more Americans get covered by insurance. The data are clear that health care based on primary care will be both more efficient and more effective. The AAFP applauds the Committee for recognizing this and we urge Congress to approve this temporary update as quickly as possible."
MOAA President VADM Norb Ryan, Jr. (USN-Ret): "The Military Officers Association of America strongly supports this initiative to address the #1 health care concern among military beneficiaries – ensuring access to quality health care. H.R. 4213 would take a great step in the right direction by eliminating the immediate threat of large payment cuts that would cause many doctors to stop seeing military TRICARE patients. The last thing troops in a combat zone should have to worry about is whether their sick spouse or child will be able to find a doctor."
Medicare Rights Center President Joe Baker: "Preventing the 21 percent reduction to Medicare physician payments is imperative to ensuring Medicare consumers´ continued access to providers. Increasingly, people with Medicare are being told by doctors that they will no longer be able to see Medicare patients due to these pending cuts. A plan that prevents reductions for an extended period would provide further opportunity to evaluate the current Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) system while protecting Medicare consumers´ relationships with their physicians. A vote for the preservation of sufficient Medicare payment rates is a vote for people with Medicare."
ACP President J. Fred Ralston, Jr., MD, FACP: "We are particularly pleased that for 2012 and 2013, the update for all physician services will be held to a growth rate that is higher than the current SGR formula, and that there will be an extra allowance for primary and preventive care, with a statutory guarantee that payments could not be reduced in 2012 or 2013. This policy, which is based on legislation (H.R. 3961) passed by the House of Representatives in November, recognizes the importance of ensuring that spending on all physician services be allowed to grow at a higher rate of growth than the unrealistic limits set by the SGR, while creating the opportunity to provide higher updates for under-valued primary care and preventive services."
Medicare physician payment rates are scheduled to be reduced by more than 20 percent June 1st. H.R. 4213 will prevent that cut and instead guarantee a 1.3 percent increase for the rest of 2010, followed by an additional one percent increase in 2011. For 2012 and 2013, the legislation will implement a reformed payment system based on HR 3961, the permanent SGR reform legislation passed by the House and endorsed by physicians, seniors groups and military groups. In addition, the bill includes a floor that prevents any payment reduction during those two years. This provision is now being estimated by the Congressional Budget Office, but is expected to be substantially below the level permissible under the so-called "statutory pay-go" allowance.
WASHINGTON – Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Chairman Pete Stark (D-CA) joined with the Medicare Rights Center, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Military Officers Association of America, and the American College of Physicians in praising legislation that would ensure access to physicians in Medicare and TRICARE for seniors and military families. The provision in H.R. 4213, the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act, would cancel scheduled cuts to physician payment rates in Medicare and TRICARE.
Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Chairman Pete Stark (D-CA): "Seniors and military families should not have to wonder on a month-to-month basis if they'll be able to see their doctor. This legislation provides three and a half years of stability to doctors and their patients and implements a reformed payment system. While it isn't the permanent solution I authored, it is the best we can do now. We will continue to work together for a permanent solution."
Ted Epperly, MD, FFAFP, Chair of the AAFP Board of Directors: "The payment proposal offered by the House Ways and Means Committee recognizes the importance of allowing for growth in the services provided by primary care physicians, especially if we are to respond to the increased demand for these services as more Americans get covered by insurance. The data are clear that health care based on primary care will be both more efficient and more effective. The AAFP applauds the Committee for recognizing this and we urge Congress to approve this temporary update as quickly as possible."
MOAA President VADM Norb Ryan, Jr. (USN-Ret): "The Military Officers Association of America strongly supports this initiative to address the #1 health care concern among military beneficiaries – ensuring access to quality health care. H.R. 4213 would take a great step in the right direction by eliminating the immediate threat of large payment cuts that would cause many doctors to stop seeing military TRICARE patients. The last thing troops in a combat zone should have to worry about is whether their sick spouse or child will be able to find a doctor."
Medicare Rights Center President Joe Baker: "Preventing the 21 percent reduction to Medicare physician payments is imperative to ensuring Medicare consumers´ continued access to providers. Increasingly, people with Medicare are being told by doctors that they will no longer be able to see Medicare patients due to these pending cuts. A plan that prevents reductions for an extended period would provide further opportunity to evaluate the current Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) system while protecting Medicare consumers´ relationships with their physicians. A vote for the preservation of sufficient Medicare payment rates is a vote for people with Medicare."
ACP President J. Fred Ralston, Jr., MD, FACP: "We are particularly pleased that for 2012 and 2013, the update for all physician services will be held to a growth rate that is higher than the current SGR formula, and that there will be an extra allowance for primary and preventive care, with a statutory guarantee that payments could not be reduced in 2012 or 2013. This policy, which is based on legislation (H.R. 3961) passed by the House of Representatives in November, recognizes the importance of ensuring that spending on all physician services be allowed to grow at a higher rate of growth than the unrealistic limits set by the SGR, while creating the opportunity to provide higher updates for under-valued primary care and preventive services."
Medicare physician payment rates are scheduled to be reduced by more than 20 percent June 1st. H.R. 4213 will prevent that cut and instead guarantee a 1.3 percent increase for the rest of 2010, followed by an additional one percent increase in 2011. For 2012 and 2013, the legislation will implement a reformed payment system based on HR 3961, the permanent SGR reform legislation passed by the House and endorsed by physicians, seniors groups and military groups. In addition, the bill includes a floor that prevents any payment reduction during those two years. This provision is now being estimated by the Congressional Budget Office, but is expected to be substantially below the level permissible under the so-called "statutory pay-go" allowance.
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