Congress Expected to Drop Medicare Provisions from Healthy Families Bill; Physicians Again Facing Steep Payment Cuts
[Posted 09/20/07]

Because congressional leaders have been unable to come to an agreement on the Medicare/Healthy Families legislation, it is very likely that the Medicare provisions will be eliminated so that reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) is not delayed. Although CMA understands the importance of the SCHIP reauthorization, the association is extremely disappointed that physicians are once again facing steep Medicare payment cuts. Stopping the pay cuts is critical to preserving access to care in California.

The U.S. House earlier this month passed a bill that would have not only reauthorized the Healthy Families program, but also stopped the 15 percent physician pay cut. Additionally, it would have updated California's geographic payment localities and prevented any geographic payment reductions for three years. The Senate, however, passed a scaled-down version of the House bill, without the Medicare provisions.

CMA will continue to work with congressional leaders to stop the impending payment cuts before they take effect January 1. Senate leadership has committed to adopt Medicare physician payment reform legislation before the end of the year.   

Contact: Elizabeth McNeil, 415/882-3376 or emcneil@cmanet.org.