Congress has repeatedly enacted Band-Aid fixes to delay payment cuts to doctors who serve Medicare patients.
Even with the progress made in health reform, Medicare payment cuts are still on the table. In place of the short-term patches we have been seeing for years, Congress must pass a long-term solution to a payment system that is fatally flawed.
With a floundering economy and a record number of baby boomers entering their golden years, our country is facing an imminent health care crisis. It is time -- right now -- for Congress to pass a long-term solution to the SGR payment formula. Tell Congress that Medicare is just too important! Real health reform must include Medicare reform.
Dear Representative[Name],
As someone who is concerned about the future of health care in our country, I am writing you today to voice my objection to yet another Band-Aid solution for Medicare doctor payment cuts.
Many doctors reported that more Medicare patients are now being treated in emergency rooms for conditions that could have been treated in a physician's office and that it has gotten harder to refer patients to certain medical and surgical specialists.
[Your comments will be inserted here]
An AMA survey shows that drastic cuts in Medicare payments will make it harder for patients to see their doctor. Consider some of these alarming survey results:
- 60 percent of all doctors say a Medicare cut will force them to decrease or stop seeing new patients and to discontinue nursing home visits.
- A majority of doctors in rural communities say they will no longer be able to conduct important outreach services due to nine years of projected cuts.
- Nearly 3 out of 4 doctors say the Medicare cuts will force them to delay purchasing critical new medical equipment.
- 65 percent of doctors say the Medicare cuts will force them to delay purchase of new health care technology.
Please do what is right for Americans: do not let the Medicare doctor payments cuts happen on April 1st.
Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.
