| Dear
Colleague:
I
am writing to you today on a topic that has become all too
familiar to you and, indeed, all physicians—reductions
in Medicare reimbursement. As of today, physicians
face the prospect of another cut in their Medicare fees in
2004 of 4.2 percent or greater. Your action can help avert
this cut!
Although
we were spared from cuts in Medicare fees this year—thanks
in large part to your efforts—the threat of reductions
in 2004, and beyond, is very real. The formula used to calculate
annual updates to Medicare fees has fundamental flaws—flaws
that could cause reductions in physician payments through
2008 unless Congress is moved to act through a strong response
from physicians. Simply put, preventing this cut and obtaining
long-term fixes to the Medicare payment system will require
substantial and sustained action by ACC members.
At
this writing, lawmakers are attempting to reconcile the differences
between Medicare reform bills passed earlier this summer by
the House and Senate. The House-passed bill contains a provision
that would give physicians a modest increase in Medicare fees
of 1.5 percent in 2004 and 2005. In 2006, however, fees would
again be determined using the flawed payment formula, resulting
in severe decreases in subsequent years. Clearly, this is
only a “band-aid” approach to a problem that requires
major repair.
Obtaining
even a short-term solution will be difficult. Because lawmakers
sharply disagree on how to deliver a prescription drug benefit
to Medicare beneficiaries and on Medicare reform generally,
there is speculation that the two parties will be unable to
come together and pass a bill at all. It is this very
possibility that makes a strong outpouring of physician grassroots
pressure around this issue so important. We must
establish a floor of support for helping physicians among
as many legislators as possible to ensure action on Medicare
fees should the larger Medicare reform bill fail.
It
is imperative that your legislators hear from you! They
must hear that the impact on patient access to and quality
of care will be damaged by further cuts in Medicare fees.
Every phone call, email, and fax counts. You owe it to yourself
and your patients to do everything you can to prevent these
cuts from happening.
When
you do contact your legislator, be sure to deliver the following
messages:
- Prevent
the 4.2 percent reduction from occurring next year.
- Address
the underlying problems with the formula that have created
this untenable situation.
- Encourage
the CMS to make needed administrative changes that contribute
to these cuts, such as removing the cost of drugs from the
payment formula.
And,
don’t forget, personalize and localize the
impact of further Medicare fee cuts. Be blunt, respectful,
and, most importantly, be honest.
ACC
members can easily contact their legislators using the ACC’s
Web-based grassroots advocacy tool. To take advantage of this
tool:
- Go
to www.acc.org and click on the "Take Action Now"
icon on the right side of the page.
- When
prompted, type in your ACC user name (last name) and password
(ACC member ID number).
- Choose
the “Medicare physician payment update” option.
- Click
on "write a message."
To
stay up to date on this issue, visit the ACC
Medicare Fee Cuts resource center. I believe that we can
improve this situation if we take the necessary steps. I know
that you are extremely busy and have limited time for issues
unrelated to patient care. But I urge you, as a fellow physician
and as a concerned citizen, to take just a few minutes to
contact your legislators. Thank you for your hard work and
dedication.
Sincerely,
Carl J. Pepine, MD, MACC
President, American College of Cardiology |
