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- Jul 6, 2006
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I got an e-mail today urging me to write my state senators in support of HR 2 - SGR Repeal and Medicare Provider Payment Modernization Act.
For some reason I looked into this act, having paid little attention to it to this point. Basically it repeals the SGR in exchange for 1 year of 0.25% increase, 4 years of 0.5% reimbursement increases, followed by 0% for the next 5 years, and then a quality-value based system averaging 0.5% after that depending on your "scores".
Along with this come a few other clauses like publishing physician claims data in a public database.
Now as I look into it, seems like a raw deal. Although spending needs to be curtailed and the SGR is obviously broken, this seems like it does nothing but put a virtual 10-year pay freeze on reimbursement, amounting to a ~25% pay cut relative to inflation. However it seems many of the political groups such as ACEP and AMA are at least on the surface supporting the legislation.
Raw deal? Shortsighted? Seems like I'm signing up for a pay cut without this bill addressing any of what I believe to be the chief drivers in the cost of health care. Thoughts?
Summary - http://www.acep.org/uploadedFiles/A...sues/Timeline of 2015 SGR Replacement Act.pdf
Full bill -
http://www.acep.org/uploadedFiles/A...rovider Payment Modernization Act of 2015.pdf
AMA summary -
https://www.asdp.org/AM/Template.cf...emplate=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=3725
For some reason I looked into this act, having paid little attention to it to this point. Basically it repeals the SGR in exchange for 1 year of 0.25% increase, 4 years of 0.5% reimbursement increases, followed by 0% for the next 5 years, and then a quality-value based system averaging 0.5% after that depending on your "scores".
Along with this come a few other clauses like publishing physician claims data in a public database.
Now as I look into it, seems like a raw deal. Although spending needs to be curtailed and the SGR is obviously broken, this seems like it does nothing but put a virtual 10-year pay freeze on reimbursement, amounting to a ~25% pay cut relative to inflation. However it seems many of the political groups such as ACEP and AMA are at least on the surface supporting the legislation.
Raw deal? Shortsighted? Seems like I'm signing up for a pay cut without this bill addressing any of what I believe to be the chief drivers in the cost of health care. Thoughts?
Summary - http://www.acep.org/uploadedFiles/A...sues/Timeline of 2015 SGR Replacement Act.pdf
Full bill -
http://www.acep.org/uploadedFiles/A...rovider Payment Modernization Act of 2015.pdf
AMA summary -
https://www.asdp.org/AM/Template.cf...emplate=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=3725