TMA STATEMENT - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 24, 2010
TMA:
Congress Stopped the Bleeding but Medicare’s Still on Life Support
The following can be
attributed to Susan R. Bailey, MD, president of the Texas Medical Association.
Dr. Bailey’s statement addresses Thursday’s U. S. House of Representatives
passage of a measure to temporarily undo the current 21 percent Medicare
physician payment cut. The House passed H.R. 3962, previously passed by the
U.S. Senate, which temporarily provides a 2.2-percent Medicare fee increase to
physicians who care for Medicare patients through November 2010.
“The U.S. House of Representatives
voted today to stop the bleeding, but our Medicare system is still on life
support. Physicians and our patients greatly appreciate that Congress has
reversed the 21.3-percent cut in physicians’ Medicare payments that took effect
June 1. We appreciate the 2.2-percent increase that will run through Nov.30.
But as speaker after speaker – including four Texans – noted on the House floor
today, we’ve had enough of the Band-Aids. We need a brand new payment system. I
don’t want to be watching Congress wrestle with this turkey of an issue on
Thanksgiving.
“A flash survey we just completed of Texas Medical Association members found
that the ongoing cash flow problems and constant uncertainty over Medicare
payments have forced Texas physicians to take, or consider, some drastic steps.
Nearly two-thirds will reduce the number of Medicare patients they see, 55
percent will refuse all new Medicare patients, and half will lay off staff.
“We need a rational Medicare physician payment system that automatically keeps
up with the cost of running a practice and is backed by a fair, stable funding
formula.
“I am ready, right now, to roll up my sleeves and get to work. But physicians
can’t do it without Congress. And our patients, your constituents, need us to
work together now and get this done.”
TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing nearly
45,000 physician and medical student members. It is located in Austin
and has 120 component county medical societies around the state. TMA’s key
objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans.
– 30 –
Contact: Pam Udall (512) 370-1382; cell:
(512) 413-6807; e-mail: pam.udall@texmed.org
Brent Annear (512) 370-1381; cell: (512) 656-7320; e-mail: brent.annear@texmed.org
E-mail Policy: We know your time and server space are valuable. Click here to discontinue further e-mail news releases from TMA.
