2012 Medicare Physician Pay Cut Update
By: Bellinger P. Moody, RHIA, CPC, CCP, CPC-I
Executive Vice President of Compliance

12/21/2011

This past Saturday (December 17th) the Senate voted 89-10 to extend the payroll tax cut by two months – which would have postposed the 26.2% Medicare payment cut to the “National Average Anesthesia conversion factor” until March 1, 2012. However, the measure has not yet passed the House – which means that the pay cut is still pending.  House leaders have stated that they intend to defeat the bill.  We anticipate that the situation in Washington will remain in limbo, as the 2012 elections and politics are fueling this showdown between the Senate and the House.  We will keep you updated on the outcome of this critical Bill as negotiations continue. In the meantime, we strongly recommend that you continue to call your congressional representatives and voice your concerns about a permanent solution to this pending pay cut and repeal of the SGR (Sustainable Growth Rate) formula.

MEDAC will continue to update you on all news related to the Medicare physician payment cuts in future alerts.

The information presented herein reflects general information that is current as of the date it was first published.  In light of changes that may occur in the health care regulatory and compliance environments, the author's presentation of this information might become outdated.  Please check with your individual legal and/or compliance advisor(s) prior to taking any significant actions based upon the information and advice presented.