FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 11, 2006
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Laurie Peacock
312-580-6497
(cell) 312-608-3620
Doctors to Congress: Stop Medicare Cuts and Protect Patient Care
Chicago — Illinois physicians are sending Congress an urgent message, to fix the Medicare payment system before year’s end or risk impeding access to medical care for our state’s senior citizens. The letter, signed by physician leaders of the Illinois State Medical Society, calls on each member of Illinois’ congressional delegation to take immediate action to reverse the 5.1 percent Medicare reimbursement cut for physicians, which is slated to occur at year’s end.
The result of an outdated and erroneous formula, Medicare reimbursements to physicians nationwide will be slashed through 2015 by a total of 37 percent – over $200 billion – unless Congress intervenes. In 2007 alone, Illinois stands to lose $120 million in funding for health care services provided to seniors and the disabled if Congress allows these cuts to occur. By 2015, Illinois would face reductions of more than $7.6 billion in health care funding to pay for medical services to Medicare patients.
While physician payments plummet, conservative estimates from the federal government show medical practice costs will likely increase 22 percent over this same period. A recent American Medical Association survey showed that if payments are cut as projected in 2007, 45 percent of doctors will either decrease or stop accepting new Medicare patients next year.
Congress will recess at the end of September as lawmakers head home for pre-election campaigning. ISMS is asking Congress not only to stop this year’s cut before the September recess, but also to authorize a small reimbursement update for 2007 to cover doctors’ increasing medical practice costs. The long-term policy solution: Congress should permanently scrap the flawed formula in favor of a fair annual reimbursement update.
“Physicians are the foundation of our nation’s health care system, and a stable environment for physicians’ services is critical,” the letter states. “Payment cuts would further destabilize the Medicare program in Illinois and put patient access at risk.”
ISMS is a professional membership association representing over 14,000 physicians in all specialties statewide.