Deal Reached on H.R. 3630, SGR Cuts Averted

Late last week a deal was passed by Congress and signed into law by the President regarding H.R. 3630, the “Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act.”  This deal averts the 27.4 percent Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) cut previously scheduled for January 1, 2012 by a duration of 60 days.  The deal came together as the House of Representatives agreed to the Senate request to extend the payroll tax deadline by two months until February 28, 2012, and in return the Senate agreed to the House request to appoint conferees to work out the differences between the two chambers’ versions of H.R. 3630.

This means that SGR rates will remain unchanged through January and February of 2012 pending further resolution through additional compromise between the House and Senate conferees over the legislative differences in H.R. 3630.  ASA supports this compromise as good news as it averts an immediate 27.4 percent SGR cut.