Congress Delays Dec. 1 Medicare Physician Payment Cut

The now-familiar countdown to a cut in Medicare physician fees has been extended for another month. This time a 23 percent cut in Medicare physician fees, scheduled to take effect Dec. 1, is delayed until Jan. 1, 2011: In a voice vote Nov. 29 the U.S. House of Representatives approved the Physician Payment and Therapy Relief Act, which the Senate had passed on Nov. 18. However, additional legislation will be necessary to stave off the cut in Medicare physician payment that will become 25 percent on Jan. 1, 2011. The cuts were initiated by the sustainable growth rate formula, which ties physician payment to the U.S. gross domestic product.

Congress Puts Off Cuts to Doctor Medicare Payments

Senate Passes One-Month Reprieve for Medicare Pay Cut

Doctors to Get Brief Respite on Medicare

For background on the SGR, see: Peck B: Is the Sun Setting on Medicare? Grim Future, Few Bright Spots Without Part B Fixes. AANS Bulletin 13(3):6–13, 2004