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TMA STATEMENT — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Feb. 24, 2010 Countdown to Medicare Meltdown: Day 5 The following can be attributed to William H. Fleming III, MD, president of the Texas Medical Association. Dr. Fleming’s statement discusses how the Medicare physician payment cuts slated for March 1, 2010 will affect patients. “For an elderly patient, a doctor can mean everything: independence, hope, and security. Medicare makes it possible. For a physician, treating our elderly patients is everything. We have cared for many of these patients for years. We know their children and their grandchildren — these patients are family. The last thing we want to do is tell our elderly patients that we can no longer care for them. However, in just five days we may have no choice. On March 1, Medicare will cut physician payments by 21-2 percent. Physicians have been operating under government price controls since 1987. Believe it or not, we have not had a payment increase from Medicare that kept up with cost of running a practice since 2001. If Congress does not fix Medicare, almost half of Texas physicians will be forced out of Medicare. This is horrible for senior citizens, for Texans with disabilities, and for families in the military who depend on Medicare for health care. 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.” 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 Click here to follow TMA on Twitter. Or visit TMA on Facebook.	TMA STATEMENT — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Feb. 23, 2010 Countdown to Medicare Meltdown: Day 6 The following can be attributed to William H. Fleming III, MD, president of the Texas Medical Association. Dr. Fleming’s statement addresses the Medicare physician payment cuts slated for March 1, 2010. “Texas physicians have pleaded with Congress to fix Medicare for the past decade. It is the insurance senior citizens and people with disabilities depend on for health care. It is what our country has promised them. All of us have paid into the Medicare system. We need a permanent solution to protect Medicare. Elderly patients, people with disabilities, and families in the military deserve secure and stable health care. However, unless Congress acts fast, we’re headed for a Medicare meltdown in just six days. Texas physicians are extremely frustrated. 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. If Congress and President Obama really want health system reform that puts patients first, then they need to do the right thing and fix Medicare. 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 Click here to follow TMA on Twitter. Or visit TMA on Facebook.	TMA STATEMENT — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Feb. 22, 2010 Countdown to Medicare Meltdown: Day 7 The following can be attributed to William H. Fleming III, MD, president of the Texas Medical Association. Dr. Fleming’s statement addresses how the impending Medicare physician payment cuts slated for March 1, 2010 will affect Texas patients. “We are on the brink of a meltdown in Medicare. In just seven days, Medicare will cut physician fees by 21.2 percent. A cut this huge will force doctors to make a terrible choice, just to keep their practices open. In fact, 43 percent of Texas physicians currently treating Medicare patients said the cuts would force them out of Medicare all together. Another 37 percent said the cuts would cause them to limit the number of new Medicare patients they treat. What is Congress waiting for? Allowing Medicare to collapse is the last thing we need at a time when baby boomers are aging into the program. It's not why any of us went into medicine — to shut doors and turn patients away. This is really a horrible situation for patients and physicians alike. 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.” 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 Click here to follow TMA on Twitter. Or visit TMA on Facebook.
TMA STATEMENT — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Feb. 21, 2010 Countdown to Medicare Meltdown: Day 8 The following can be attributed to William H. Fleming III, MD, president of the Texas Medical Association. Dr. Fleming’s statement is about the impending Medicare physician payment cuts slated for March 1, 2010. “Texas physicians are deeply concerned about our broken Medicare system and the patients it is supposed to serve. For the past decade, Congress has failed to fix the flawed payment formula used to calculate what it pays physicians. And each year, the payment cut grows deeper. In less than eight days, Medicare will impose a 21.2-percent cut in physicians’ payments. A cut of this magnitude is devastating for Medicare patients and the physicians who treat them. Right now in Texas, more than 2.5 million senior citizens and people with disabilities, and 850,000 military family members depend on Medicare for health care. If Congress does not stop the cut in the next eight days, these patients will have Medicare coverage but may not have a physician of their choice to care for them. This is devastating. 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.” 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 Click here to follow TMA on Twitter. Or visit TMA on Facebook

Improving the Health of All Texans

Texas Medical Association
www.texmed.org
401 W. 15th Street
Austin, TX 78701