Health and Internet Companies Top in 3rd Quarter Lobbying

A drastic cut of 27 percent to physicians who treat Medicare and TRICARE patients is scheduled to begin on January 1 because of the broken Medicare physician payment formula. If this cut occurs, seniors and baby boomers in Medicare and the military families who rely on TRICARE will face significant access to care issues as physicians are forced to limit the number of patients from these programs they can treat. The cost to repeal this formula has grown over time due to the frequent short-term patches put in place by Congress. It will only continue to grow if action is not taken now. The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction has a unique opportunity this month to protect access to care for seniors and stop growing the cost for taxpayers by including repeal of the Medicare physician payment formula in their recommendation to Congress. Patients can contact Congress and tell them to repeal the failed Medicare physician payment formula and stop the looming cut by visiting www.patientsactionnetwork.org.

American Medical Association of IL 4:21PM November 10, 2011