Lawmakers are looking at options for fixing Medicare's Sustainable Growth Rate formula, including how to pay for it. Without congressional intervention, physicians face a 27% cut to their Medicare payments starting March 1. 

Courtesy C-SPAN  House and Senate negotiators met last week to discuss a fix to the payroll tax holiday and the SGR.

Meanwhile, physicians are losing their patience with Congress. As a part of its annual report on the health of the nation, the American College of Physicians called on lawmakers to find an alternative to the $1.2 trillion in automatic cuts required by last year's deficit reduction agreement. Among many things, the College said further cuts could endanger essential public health programs like the National Health Services Corps. The report also calls on Congress to stop the fighting and fix the SGR fast. 

For more details, listen to this week's Policy & Practice Podcast.

--- Frances Correa (FMCReporting)

01/30/12  

Links:

www.c-span.org/Events/Negotiators-Meet-to-Consider-Payroll-Tax-Compromise/10737427408/