Once again, Medicare is proposing to cut physician fees next year. This time the proposal is a draconian 9.9% reduction in fees. Estimates from the government commision which calculates these fees changes are that the fees will decrease by 40% over the next 8 or 9 years. Many physicians have already announced that they will no longer accept new patients and some have announced plans to withdraw from Medicare entirely! We do not want to do this. But we need your help. Read on.
Over the last 10 years, the Medicare fees have either remained unchanged, or increased by 1% or less. One year there was a 4.5% decrease. Overall, over the last decade, physicians have seen significant reductions in our fees when inflation is added to the calculation. This can not continue!
Medicare fees are the basis on which most other insurance companies set their rates. IF Medicare cuts their fees, the commercial insurers are likely to follow suit. This would be devastating to the ability of physicians, especially primary care physicians like us, to continue to care for ALL patients, though the impact would first be felt by Medicare patients.
What Can You Do? We ask that you contact your federal elected officials and urge them to correct the flawed Medicare Payment Formula. You can do this with a single email from the AMA's website. Simply fill in your zip code under Elected Officials and click GO. (If your zip code is split across congressional districts, you will be able to enter your zip+4 or your address on the next page to find your congress(wo)man.) You can create an email to your representative, your senators, and President Bush with a single click. You can also review your representatives' track record on bills relevant to patients and physicians.