February 20, 2007

 

Urge Congress to take early action against the looming 10% SGR cut

In light of recent devastating cuts in Medicare payments to anesthesiologists, every ASA member is strongly encouraged to contact Congress asking for early action on Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) reform this year.  Unless Congress intervenes, all of medicine will face added cuts up to 10% beginning in 2008.

Further cuts to anesthesiologists are intolerable following a staggering 8.9% decrease to the overall anesthesia conversion factor through the regulatory process that took effect this year, due mainly to the Five Year Review and a new CMS practice expense methodology.  ASA continues its battle against these cuts and the overall long-standing CMS undervaluation of anesthesia services.

Let Congress hear your voice: Representatives and Senators MUST work to avert scheduled cuts to Medicare physician payments.  With each passing year of flat—or negative—updates, Congress is creating an untenable situation in which physicians are forced to consider ways to move away from care for Medicare populations.  Congress must reject short-sighted “patches” and instead create a new payment system that reflects increases in practice costs and other medical inflation variables. 

Don’t delay—please click here to use the ASA CapWiz website to send a message to your Representatives and Senators.