PPM Pages November 2011

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released its Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2012, which incorporates the SGR payment adjustments scheduled to take effect January 1, 2012.  As you recall, on December 15, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Medicare and Medicaid Extenders Act of 2010, thereby imposing a one-year freeze on the Medicare conversion factor through 2011.  However, that freeze expires on December 31, 2011, at which time Medicare reimbursements to physicians will be cut by approximately 27.4% absent Congressional action to avert the SGR cut.

It is therefore critical that Congress acts before January 1, 2012.  We encourage you to contact your elected officials and ask them to promptly enact a permanent SGR solution.