Supercommittee Failure Leaves 27% Medicare Payment Cut in Place

With the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction failing to reach agreement on a deficit-reduction proposal, physicians still face a 27 percent cut in Medicare physician payments scheduled to take effect Jan. 1. Congress has missed an opportunity to address the nation's fiscal problems, stabilize the Medicare program and permanently repeal the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula.

Proposals to repeal the SGR fell victim to disagreement over fundamental principles for achieving deficit reduction. Sharp partisan division over the mix of entitlement cuts and tax hikes prevented the supercommittee from reaching any agreement on a deficit-reduction package.

Democratic and Republican leaders in Congress have publicly stated their commitment to take action this year to avert the 27 percent cut. Options for SGR relief outside of the supercommittee process have ranged from short-term patches of a year or two to longer-term relief that provides for transition to a new Medicare physician payment system.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

• Contact your Legislative Office and send an email demanding Congress repeal the Medicare's Flawed SGR. www.BCMSNJ.org


• Call your Legislative Office and demand that Congress repeal the Medicare's Flawed SGR. 800-833-6354


• Print a flier for your office and let your patients know to call their Legislative Offices. www.BCMSNJ.org