Medicare Cardiology Payment Cut Deadline Fast Approaching

It remains to be seen whether Congress will act in time to stop the scheduled 10.6% cut in Medicare physician payment before the June 30 deadline.

The ACC advocacy website notes that supporters last week were unable to get the necessary 60 votes for a cloture vote (to end debate) that would have moved the “Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008” (S. 3101) directly to the Senate floor for open debate and a vote.

The ACC reports that this bill, introduced by Max Baucus (D-MT) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), if adopted would “stop the physician payment cuts for 18 months and institute several new physician-related policies.”

To see how each Senator voted on this motion, go to the Senate vote recap page.

The ACC is urging members to continue contacting their Senators using the ACC’s toll-free grassroots hotline at (800) 210-7193 (they claim to have already generated more than 1,000 e-mails and nearly 500 calls).

For More Information:

Press release from the office of Max Baucus condemning the recent vote

Section-by-section summary of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008

American College of Cardiology CardioAdvocacy Network

Breakdown of the 2008 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and its effects on payment and operations for cardiology practices