An AMA survey from earlier this year found that 45 percent of
physicians would be forced to stop taking Medicare patients or drop
patients if payments are cut.

........................................................................................................

"These projected payment cuts will destabilize the Medicare program
and put patients' access to health care at risk."



http://www.mlive.com/news/statewide/index.ssf?/base/news-8/1159485011222430.xml&coll=1

Friday, September 29, 2006

Medicare cuts worry docs, seniors

By Sarah Kellogg
Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON --

If Congress doesn't act this fall to stop a planned cut in Medicare
payment rates, some U.S. doctors, including those in Michigan, may be
forced to stop taking or completely drop some of their elderly and
disabled Medicare patients.

That's what the nation's top physician groups told a U.S. House
subcommittee Thursday as they encouraged lawmakers to halt the 5.1
percent rate cut slated for Jan. 1 and the reductions planned every
year after that through 2015.

"The Medicare physician payment system is broken," said Dr. Cecil
Wilson, chairman of the board of the American Medical Association, the
nation's largest doctors group.

"Physicians face drastic Medicare payment cuts of about 40 percent
over the next nine years, while costs increase about 20 percent."

Senior groups are worried, too.

"We are concerned about access to care," said Dr. Byron Thames, a
spokesman for the AARP, the nation's largest senior citizen group, who
encouraged lawmakers to act quickly.

_____________________________________________________

Say thank you to your Republican government.

Harry