Failure by Congress to fulfill its responsibilities is undermining patient care in America. Three times this year, the U.S. Senate has missed a deadline for dealing with Medicare's sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula, raising the specter of a 21 percent cut. The disruption and uncertainty for patients and their doctors has made Medicare an unreliable program.
If Congress does not act this week, Medicare physician payments will be cut 21 percent. These cuts will also extend to the TRICARE program that serves military families, as well as some Medicaid and workers compensation programs and some private insurance plans. The ripple effect of the 21 percent Medicare cut will be devastating to access to health care.
Contact your senators this week! Use our toll-free grassroots hotline at (888) 434-6200 or send them e-mail. Tell them it's time to avert the cut, and move us toward a stable Medicare physician payment system that provides health care security for you and your family.
Congressional mismanagement of the Medicare program will force more doctors to stop accepting new Medicare and TRICARE patients, lay off staff; and defer investment in new medical equipment, health information technology, and other innovations that improve patient care.
Patients should not become collateral damage in a congressional stalemate on budgetary matters. We expect our elected officials to resolve the budget issues without punishing our seniors and military families or the doctors who care for them. Growing the problem is not a solution!
Urge Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D) and Sen. Barbara Boxer (D) to honor their obligation to provide access to quality care to America's seniors and military families by taking action to fix the Medicare physician formula problem now!
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