The House on Monday passed a one-month extension of a moratorium to stop the 23% cuts to the SGRrrr (Sustainable Growth Rate physician payment formula with my ‘rrr’ added as an appropriate growl) from going into effect Dec. 1, which the Senate passed earlier this month. That means that Congress only has a few week in December to work on getting at least a year-long extension of the moratorium through Jan. 1, 2012. Woohoo (note the sarcasm).

Their inaction is not surprising. The partisan rancor has been horrible. If the SGRrrr cuts are allowed to go through, I certainly hope people will react this time and not just quit practice or roll over.  This has gotten ridiculous -- actually ludicrous and insulting.

The national news this Thanksgiving weekend was inundated with stories about doctors cutting or reducing their Medicare patient care, as doctors’ offices practice costs often exceed what Medicare pays. The Washington Post cited an AMA study that found that nearly one-third of primary care physicians said they are currently restricting the number of Medicare patients they see. Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal ran an excoriating story on the AMA and the SGRrrr. WSJ disparagingly cites AMA’s recent support for the ACA health reform bill, in exchange, they say, for cutting a deal with Congress on eliminating the SGRrrr, which Congress then ignored after the bill was passed.

I felt the article badly mistreats the AMA, whom they characterize as fools. AMA wasn’t only focused on the SGR in their advocacy on reform. That was big. But, they have long supported expanding access to care, needed insurance reforms, and promotion of prevention and new payment models, such as could be fostered through CMS Innovation Center grants. Yes, AMA has taken the SGRrrr battle on for all physicians, securing 7 years of delays in implementing the formula’s perennial cuts. But Congress arrogantly double-crossed AMA this year. This SGR debacle is something Congress should be ashamed of, not the AMA.

Congress pretty much thinks doctors will roll over if these cuts go through. I hope that is not the case, but we are dedicated to taking care patients. But, enough is enough here.

< Back to Listings