The CEOs of the Texas, Louisiana, Florida, South Carolina, Arizona, California, Oklahoma, New York and the North Carolina Medical Societies gathered last week in Washington, D.C., to share information on their key national legislative priorities.  The group also met with senior staff at the American Medical Association (AMA) to coordinate lobbying efforts at the Federal level.
Issues of importance to [...]

While Congress’ action to avert the fiscal cliff at the ninth hour is good news, the decision may have a slight impact on Medicare claims and payments. Palmetto GBA posted this useful article that provides some useful, early guidance. A few quick highlights:

More than 100 state medical and specialty societies, including the North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS), joined the AMA and signed on to a letter to congressional leaders outlining key principles in transitioning from the SGR to a higher performing Medicare program.

2013 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposal
On July 30, 2012, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed its 2013 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule rule. A National Provider Call regarding updates to quality initiatives proposed in this rule was held earlier this week. Slides from that call can be found here.
The proposed rule includes a projected [...]

Last month the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released new estimates for a fix to the flawed Medicare physician payment model known as the Sustainable Growth Rate formula (SGR). As of July 31, the CBO now estimates a cost of $273.3 billion over 10 years to freeze current Medicare rates from 2013-2022. 
The CBO also estimates that another [...]

Roundtable discussions have been occurring monthly throughout the summer with the goal of taking a look at the history of physician payments under Medicare, including the SGR, as well as lessons that can be learned from the private sector in repairing such a broken methodology.

The Senate Finance Committee has begun a series of roundtable discussions on Medicare payment reform in an attempt to develop a new physician payment system. North Carolina Senator Richard Burr is a member of this committee. The first meeting in this series was held last Thursday, May 10, 2012, where a panel discussed the history of [...]

Congress voted today to extend payroll tax cuts, unemployment benfits and the current Medicare physician payment through the end of 2012. The bill now goes to President Obama for his signature, as members of Congress prepare for a week-long recess to observe the President’s Day holiday.

Videos posted on YouTube are helping to emphasize the urgency to repeal Medicare’s flawed sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula that is used to set physician reimbursements. The AMA released the videos as the March 1 deadline approaches for Congress to prevent a more than 27 percent cut in Medicare physician payments.
The videos—one geared toward Congress [...]

The NCMS joined with 47 physician organizations this week to ask Congress to repeal Medicare’s sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula by using excesses from Overseas Contingency Operations (no longer needed for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan).

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is currently developing the 2012 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) to implement the zero percent update that was included in the Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Act signed by President Obama on December 23, 2011.

US Supreme Court Schedules PPACA Oral Arguments for March
The US Supreme Court announced Monday that it will hear arguments on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act March 26-28, 2012, devoting an unprecedented full week to address the constitutionality of the federal health care reform law. The first day of arguments on March 26 will [...]

The US House and Senate are expected to vote today on a $1 trillion interim spending package that was crafted last night by the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.

The US House is expected to vote December 13 on legislation that will include a two-year extension of the current Medicare physician pay rates, including a one percent increase.

Congressional leaders from both parties have publicly stated that they are committed to take action before the end of year to avert the scheduled 27 percent cut in Medicare physician payments.