Last month I mentioned that the American Medical Association (AMA) and other doctors groups planned to lobby Congress during the August recess to block a scheduled reduction in Medicare reimbursement rates.
In the ongoing saga, one lawmaker recently made an offer that was easy to refuse: send us quality-of-care reports, and we’ll block the reduction. (Kaiser Network)
No thanks, said the AMA.
Physicians are not only trying to block the cut; they’re seeking a 2 percent increase in reimbursement rates without a reporting requirement. The offer by House Ways and Means Committee Chair Bill Thomas (pictured) would have required doctors to send quality-of-care data to the government. Some practices wouldn’t be able to afford the cost of reporting, according to doctors’ groups.
A formula called the Sustainable Growth Rate determines whether Medicare reimbursement rates are raised or lowered each year. The formula calls for a 5.1 percent reduction for 2007, scheduled to take effect in January 2007.