Fair Medicare reimbursement is of great concern of physicians today. During the past few years, the SGR has called for damaging cuts to physician payments. Each year, however, Congress has placed a temporary fix on the scheduled cuts.
ACR Board Lobbies Congress
ACR Board of Directors members recently spent time in Washington, D.C., discussing rheumatology-related issues with members of Congress, including Sen. Edward M. “Ted” Kennedy (D-Mass.). The senior senator from Massachusetts is the chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, which oversees health legislation that affects rheumatologists.
Contact Congress Today about Medicare Reimbursement
Changing the Medicare physician reimbursement formula so that it more accurately mirrors the cost of care is a top legislative concern for the ACR this year. The reimbursement scale is currently calculated using the sustainable growth rate (SGR), which is based on the gross domestic product and is irrelevant to medical care. The formula has steadily decreased physician reimbursement since its inception.
Rheumatology Goes to Washington
Volunteers converge on Capitol Hill for the ACR’s annual Advocates for Arthritis Day
Make Our Voice Heard
It’s up to you to take rheumatology’s case to Congress
PAC a Punch on Capitol Hill
New political action committee will be a voice for rheumatology
Medicare Switch to ASP Pricing Reduces Part B Spending
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) reported to Congress in January that Medicare’s switch to a payment method known as ASP, or Average Sale Price, has reduced spending on drugs in the Medicare Part B program. This system reflects actual market spending, rather than wholesale prices.
Keep ACR at the Table
Without your help, ACR will lose its clout at the AMA
Your Representatives on Capitol Hill
Government Affairs Committee advocates on behalf of the ACR and all rheumatologists
Legislative Priorities in 2007
In 2007, the ACR Government Affairs Committee will focus on correcting the Medicare reimbursement formula, countering increased cuts to diagnostic imaging, and the enactment of the Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act. Increasing advocacy among ACR members will also be a top priority.