Bobs Blog

Senate fails to act on 30-day extension, 21 percent Medicare cut effective March 1

Though the House of Representatives unanimously passed a short-term measure Thursday that would extend Medicare’s current physician payment rates and therapy cap exception process through March 31, the Senate failed to act on similar legislation prior to adjourning this week due to Sen. Jim Bunning’s, R-Ky., objections to how to pay for the bill. By law, the 21.2 percent cut to Medicare physician payments will take effect March 1. 

The Senate returns Tuesday and will likely attempt to bring up the measure again. Regardless of congressional action, by law, Medicare contractors must hold all claims payments for at least 13 business days after receipt. CMS indicates it will also hold all processing of claims at the reduced rate for the first 10 business days of March, giving the Senate a window to act.

-Bob

Senate discusses delaying 21.2 percent payment cut

Senators are discussing delaying the pending 21.2 percent cut to Medicare physician payments for an additional 15 or 30 days. The extension of the current freeze would likely be included in an “extenders” bill, which would address COBRA, unemployment insurance, the Patriot Act, and highway funding provisions which are also scheduled to expire on Feb. 28. Consideration of this legislation may take place as early as today.

Thanks, Bob

Bob's Blog – Artice I

This will be my first article written for Bob’s Blog.  My articles will carry the subject matter of the issues that face all of us who are part of the healthcare industry.  Given the issues we face today in the healthcare industry and in our country in general, I will have much to write about and say.  So, I hope you find these articles informative and helpful as we all try and make sense out of the direction we are taking when it comes to healthcare in the United States, as well as in our local community.

The most pressing issue we are faced with as I write this first article is the issue of what will Congress decide concerning the current method that is used to determine Medicare reimbursements for physicians.  The most current event that leaves one uncertain about will Congress actually do anything between today and March 1, 2010, a mere seven days left to go, to prevent our Medicare reimbursements from decreasing by 21.5 percent.  I believe there is a good chance that for the first time in a memorable year Congress may not stop the decrease, at least not stop it before it takes effect and we will all start being paid 21.5 percent less.  I think there is a good chance that during this year, 2010, Congress will address the way Medicare reimbursements are calculated and make some changes.  The billion dollar question is how Congress will make those changes.  There are some good arguments out there that for the next several years’ that Congress will set the method of determining Medicare reimbursements to physicians, by freezing the current payments with no increase or decrease, a small $371 billion added to our trillion dollars or so deficit.  We all know that when 30 to 50 percent of our business is frozen with no increased income and 100 percent of our expenses keep going up by 3 to 5 percent per year, we see a constant erosion of our livelihood each year.  I think it is probably safe to say, given the current state of our economy and the already additional trillion dollar debt that has been added to our countries already huge federal budget deficit the amount of dollars congress and the White House are willing to allocate toward Medicare reimbursements will not be good.  Whatever the final outcome, I do believe it is time for all of us to begin to determine other strategies in our medical practices to sure us up financially for the future and to this end I will be writing about some of those potentially new strategies in future articles.

In ending my first article, I just want to say, I look forward in writing many more articles and getting your responses back as to if the articles where of interest or not to you.

My Best Regards,

Bob

bsayers@mmsofslo.com

Senate still with no strategy to address the 21.2% Medicare pay cut

With a 21.2% Medicare pay cut looming less than two weeks away, many (including the United States Senate) are left wondering how this issue will continue to be addressed.

With no clear legislative strategy in sight, the Senate is exploring a continued freeze on physician payments for up to an additional seven months.

In related news President Obama has scheduled a nationally televised healthcare summit in hopes of reenergizing healthcare reform.

To read the entire article from the MGMA please click here.

As always MMS will continue to monitor the situation and keep you updated.

What should my EHR be doing?

Ever wonder what your electronic health record NEEDS to be doing in order to meet meaningful use?

Well CMS & HSS have published some general guidelines to help guide physicians in the right direction.

Medical Management Strategies has taken some time to summarize these guidelines in a pdf available here.

Please feel free to contact Ryan Loughlin at rloughlin@mmsofslo.com for any further questions you may have.