Sequester Affects Rheumatologists on Two Fronts—Medicare Reimbursement and Research Funding

Dr. Laing says he is hopeful that the announcement this month that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) would reverse some of the planned 2014 cuts to Medicare Advantage means the federal government has decided that broad cuts are not the answer.

“That’s led to optimism that Congress, for the next fiscal year, would change things around and potentially [reverse] these cuts to the Medicare program,” Dr. Laing adds. “It’s not a dead certainty, but it augers well.”

Richard Quinn is a freelance writer in New Jersey.