Much of last week’s historic bill that created new payment rates for Medicare doctors was left unfunded by lawmakers, and now GOP budget hawks are presenting ideas that provoke anxiety in the sector.
The historic repeal of the “doc fix” this week left about equal numbers of stakeholders relieved and disappointed. Among the most crestfallen: Therapy providers who were hoping for Congress to finally repeal Medicare Part B outpatient therapy caps.
The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living are urging the U.S. Senate to act quickly on a potentially historic bill for establishing Medicare rates for doctors.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said it will hold physician claims for 14 calendar days, thereby delaying 21% rate cuts otherwise set to take effect Wednesday.
As expected, the House of Representatives on Thursday repealed the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR), earning loud praise from the American Health Care Association.
Leaders of the nation’s two largest long-term care associations spoke favorably Monday about a bill that would improve Medicare physician pay rates while moderately restricting LTC pay. In fact, the head the American Health Care Association said the group will “enthusiastically support” a bill that would end the “doc fix” issue, provided the final language is what it expects.
The “doc fix” that ends the Sustainable Growth Rate formula drew at least one long-term leader’s sharp criticism. The $213 billion deal, which is still to be voted on in both houses, will be partially financed by $35 billion in cuts to Medicare beneficiaries’ benefits.
Long-term care leaders continue to brace this week for news about any new plans to pay Medicare physicians, which might siphon pay from seniors’ caregivers. Medicare physicians face a 21% pay cut at the end of the month if lawmakers don’t find an alternative, which most thing they will.
Long-term care providers are closely monitoring two major lawmaking efforts in Washington this week that have both chambers of Congress debating a plan to end annual Medicare cuts and abolish painful “fixes” to the Medicare physician payment formula.
More than 400 long-term and post-acute care professionals from across the country completed meetings with their respective federal lawmakers Wednesday in Washington. The meetings were the conclusion of the annual Congressional Briefing event hosted by the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living.
