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ASA urges members to take action and tell their Member of Congress and U.S. Senators to pass a "doc-fix" patch to prevent a 26.5 percent cut to Medicare payments and to work to prevent the 2 percent sequestration cut to Medicare physician payments.
Background:
On December 31, 2012, a number of unresolved fiscal provisions such as the Bush-era tax cuts, emergency unemployment benefits, the payroll tax holiday, the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) modifications, and a other items broadly referred to as the “tax extenders” will expire. Additionally, provisions of the Budget Control Act of 2011 are set to be triggered at the end of the year. These provisions mandate certain across-the-board cuts (or sequestration) to both federal domestic and defense spending programs. The combination of these and other unresolved spending and revenue measures are called the "fiscal cliff."
If negotiations regarding the "fiscal cliff" and sequestration do not resolve pending issues, Medicare payments to physicians will be cut by 2 percent.
While not tied directly to the "fiscal cliff" negotiations, the current "doc-fix" or SGR patch is also scheduled expire on December 31. If Congress and the Administration do not act, Medicare payments to physicians will be cut by 26.5 percent.
Congress must act! A failure to act means physician payments will be severely cut. ASA members are urged to contact their Member of Congress and U.S. Senators NOW and ask them to prevent the SGR and Sequestration Cuts to Physicians! Be sure to email or call your lawmaker today!
