Pay freeze heads list of Medicare reforms
Urologists and other physicians who treat Medicare patients have again escaped a steep reimbursement reduction as President Obama on Dec. 15 signed legislation passed by the lame-duck Congress providing a 12-month reprieve.
The Medicare and Medicaid Extenders Act of 2010 postpones sustainable growth rate (SGR)-mandated cuts in Medicare reimbursement levels through 2011, with the stated goal of providing Congress breathing room so it can fashion a permanent solution to this recurring problem.
Had Congress not acted, a 24.9% slash in rates would have become effective Jan. 1.
The Commission's report, issued Dec. 1, proposes these key provisions as they relate to Medicare physician payments:
To help pay for these changes, which the Commission said would cost about $22 billion less than simply continuing to freeze physician payments, the Commission's recommendations included:
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