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Dr. Hedberg stated that if Congress and CMS do not take action prior to January 1st, the cuts will begin to have immediate adverse consequences for patients, noting that the cuts will go into effect precisely the same day as the new Medicare Part D drug benefit. Medicare patients will be increasingly turning to their physicians and their office staff for assistance on this new benefit. The fee cuts will make it more difficult for physicians to devote the resources needed to help with the transition to the Part D benefit.

"In the event that both Congress and CMS fail to take action before the first of the year, it will be imperative that Congress return promptly to Washington and immediately enact legislation to reverse the cuts, retroactive to January 1, 2006," added to Dr. Hedberg. "The longer the cuts are in effect, the greater the harm that will be done. Patients and physicians need to know that they will be made 'whole' from any cuts that result from inaction in Washington."

ACP will also be calling on Congress to go beyond just halting the cuts, and move toward reforming the overall payment and delivery system. "A halt to the SGR cuts is an essential first step, but it is not the solution to Medicare's reimbursement problems," said Dr. Hedberg. "ACP will challenge lawmakers to work with us to enact an ambitious policy agenda to replace the SGR and other dysfunctional Medicare payment policies with a system that rewards and recognizes the value of high quality, patient-centered care by a personal physician."

Just last week, ACP released a sweeping set of recommendations on tying physician payments to quality. This paper, which is available at '"/>

Contact: David Kinsman
dkinsman@acponline.org
202-261-4554
American College of Physicians
22-Dec-2005