MEDICARE CUTS WILL TAKE PLACE MARCH 1ST !
Copied and shared with permission from: General AMA news
1) Senate inaction means Medicare cuts to take place March 1
Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 4691, legislation that would extend a number of expiring programs for 30 days, including current Medicare physician payment rates, and once again postpone the 21 percent cut in payments. The Senate attempted unsuccessfully on several occasions last night and this morning to pass the same bill by unanimous consent, but objections were raised by Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., on the basis that the $10 billion cost of the program extensions was not offset. The Senate has adjourned for the weekend, so the 21 percent Medicare physician payment cut will take effect as scheduled March 1.
The AMA has been informed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that it is notifying its contractors to hold Medicare physician claims for 10 business days, effective March 1. The agency also will send a similar message this afternoon to physicians, and contractors will be instructed to disseminate this information as well.
Physicians are urged to express their outrage to Congress about its terrible mismanagement of the Medicare and TRICARE programs, which are so important to the health and well-being of Americans who have served our nation so long and so well. Tell them:
- Congress had more than a year to repeal Medicare’s sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula and ensure the security and stability of the program. Instead, it has abandoned patients who rely on Medicare and TRICARE for their health care.
- Parliamentary procedures offer no excuse for the harm they are causing these programs.
- Stop playing games with patients and physicians; repeal the SGR formula once and for all.
Use the AMA’s grassroots hotline at (800) 833-6354 to call your members of Congress.
View an AMA news release about the cuts.
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2) Share your story about the Medicare cuts
The AMA wants to hear your personal experiences about how the scheduled 21 percent cut in Medicare physician payments will affect your practice and how your office will handle the cuts. The AMA plans to share your stories with members of Congress and the media to highlight the impact the cuts will have on physicians and the seniors and military families for whom they care.
Send your name, specialty, city and state, e-mail address, phone number and story to the AMA’s Katherine Hatwell at katherine.hatwell@ama-assn.org or call her at (202) 789-7419.
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3) Take the AMA’s Medicare participation survey
Physicians have until March 17 to change their Medicare participation or nonparticipation status for this year, meaning that doctors who have not already changed their status still can do so and those who made a change can still retract it.
In an effort to better understand the implications for Medicare beneficiaries given the scheduled 21 percent cut in Medicare physician payments, the AMA is conducting a brief survey on physicians’ plans for Medicare participation.
The AMA has updated its guidance document, “Medicare Participation Options for Physicians,” to address important considerations for physicians when making their participation decision for this year. The purpose of the document is to ensure that physicians are fully aware of the Medicare participation options they have, and the AMA does not advise or recommend any one of the three options described there.
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4) AMA tells president, Congress to focus on key health reform elements
In advance of the Feb. 25 health system reform summit in Washington, D.C., the AMA sent a letter strongly encouraging the Obama Administration and congressional leaders from both political parties to work diligently and expeditiously to refine and pass meaningful health system reforms that empower patients and their physicians.
In a separate letter, the AMA joined 76 medical specialty societies in urging President Obama and summit attendees to address the nation’s broken medical liability system as part of health system reform.
Read more about this in the Feb. 24 edition of the AMA Health System Reform Bulletin.
View AMA President J. James Rohack, MD, on "Larry King Live" on Feb. 25 during a discussion about health system reform.
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5) AMA National Advocacy Conference set for next week - Including ADEMS own Dr. Katie Lozano
Hundreds of AMA members from around the country will unite March 1–3 in Washington, D.C., for the AMA National Advocacy Conference. Participants will meet with lawmakers and their staffs; hear from political insiders, industry experts and members of Congress; and take part in discussions that will help shape the AMA’s advocacy efforts.
Scheduled speakers include U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, MD, and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. In addition, Kathleen Parker, a nationally syndicated columnist with the Washington Post Writers Group, will deliver the conference’s keynote address, and Nancy Snyderman, MD, chief medical editor of NBC News, will serve as master of ceremonies at the Dr. Nathan Davis Awards for Outstanding Government Service gala and celebration. The AMA Foundation will hold its Excellence in Medicine Awards dinner March 1.
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Volunteering:
Preparing to volunteer locally, nationally, even Haiti? There are a couple of important steps to take to prepare:
Step 1: Go to the Colorado Volunteer Mobilizer site at: https://covolunteers.state.co.us to first sign up with the state as a volunteer.
Step 2: Get Incident Command Training: ICS-100, IS-700
ADEMS will hold an Express Training Session for our members to get what you need to be certified in a 2.5 hour course. (Rather than a typical 8 hour course)
Mark your Calendar and RSVP for:
ICS-100/IS-700 training
Thursday, March 4th
6:00 – 8:30 p.m.
ADEMS Office
8080 Southpark Lane, Littleton, CO 80120
Dinner provided.
RSVP by Monday, March 1st to achase@ademedicalsociety.org or 303.761.2887
Target Audience: Any personnel needing these foundational courses and prefer attending a classroom setting to complete the requirements rather than self-study.
Instruction by: Korey Bell, MA, Emergency Preparedness Trainer for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Emergency Preparedness and Response Division.
Participants are provided a copy of the test to be able to mark their answers during the class. After the class, the tests would be taken online at the participant’s convenience. Upon successful completion of the tests, participants will receive an e-mail from FEMA providing them a link to their individual certificates.
Sponsored by: Arapahoe-Douglas-Elbert Medical Society, Arapahoe-Douglas-Elbert Medical Reserve Corp & CMS Disaster Preparedness Division.
As you know, having reliable medical volunteers, especially physicians, is a critical aspect of disaster preparedness. For that reason, we encourage you to attend this training.
Thank you very much for all your interest in volunteer service, we hope to see you one March 4th!
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21.2 PERCENT CUT IN MEDICARE PHYSICIAN
PAYMENT SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 1
UNLESS CONGRESS AFFIRMATIVELY ACTS
Contact Colorado's Congressional Delegation Now!
Physicians and their staff are urged to immediately contact their U.S. House member and Colorado's two U.S. Senators to explain the impact on access to care for the elderly and for TRICARE patients if the scheduled 21.2 percent cut in Medicare reimbursement is allowed to take effect on Monday, March 1.
The scheduled cut is the result of the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula - the Medicare payment scheme that links Part B pay to the gross domestic product (GDP). A short-term effort to stop the cut was removed from a Senate jobs bill last week. Although Congress is off this week for the President's Day recess, there are 7 working days to stop the cuts once they return on February 22.
Several CMS officers will lead a Colorado delegation to Capitol Hill the week of March 1 to lobby for a permanent fix to the flawed pay formula. Please take time to make these contacts without delay and urge members of Congress to stop the 21.2 percent cut and to permanently fix the flawed SGR pay formula.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Senator Mark Udall Senator Michael Bennet
202-224-5941 202-224-5852
303-650-7820 303-455-9866
District 1 District 2
Rep. Diana DeGette Rep. Jared Polis
202-225-4431 202-225-2161
303-844-4988 303-484-9596
District 3 District 4
Rep. John Salazar Rep. Betsy Markey
202-225-4761 202-225-4676
970-245-7107 970-221-7110
District 5 District 6 District 7
Rep. Doug Lamborn Rep. Mike Coffman Rep. Ed Perlmutter
202-225-4422 202-225-7882 202-225-2645
719-520-0055 720-283-9772 303-274-7944
DON'T KNOW YOUR HOUSE DISTRICT? click here!
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