Bobs Blog

Senate unable to pass 6-month Medicare payment provision; CMS to now begin processing held claims at -21.3%

 The Senate was unable to pass the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act (H.R. 4213) late Thursday night, despite reducing the length of the Medicare physician payment provision from 19 months to 6 months in order to reduce the overall cost of the bill. The legislation includes a provision calling for a 2.2 percent increase to Medicare physician payment for claims with dates of service of from June 1 through Nov. 30. Since the Senate failed to pass the bill this week, Medicare contractors may start today to process June claims at the -21.3 percent rate. The Senate is not expected to hold further votes this week. 
 
Earlier this week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) extended the Medicare claims processing hold through June 17. CMS and the Office of Inspector General are expected to release guidance on medical practices’ responsibilities regarding limiting charges and patient co-pay requirements as impacted by the Medicare payment cuts as well as the geographic payment adjustments called for by the recently enacted healthcare reform law soon.

I would encourage you to call your Senator immediately and voice your concern over the Senates inability to act on this very critical issue.  Remind them that their method of handling this issue to date, is not in the best interest of the American people who they serve and has and will continue to cause extreme financial hardship on you and your colleagues to the point of financial jeopardy, if this continues any longer.  We need the Senate to stop the politics and begin making decisions on this issue that are financially responsible to us the physicians and in turn doing what is right for the American people.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein

San Francisco – Main District Office
1 Post St
San Francisco, CA 94104-5240
Phone: 415-393-0707
Fax: 415-393-0710

Sen. Barbara Boxer

San Francisco – Main District Office
1700 Montgomery St
San Francisco, CA 94111-1023
Phone: 415-403-0100
Fax: 202-224-0454