Physician societies got the chance on Tuesday to weigh in on the latest congressional proposal to repeal the sustainable growth rate (SGR) payment formula at a Congressional subcommittee hearing. They mostly liked what they saw.
 
The proposal, from House Ways and Means Chair Dave Camp (R-Mich.) and Energy and Commerce Committee chair Fred Upton (R-Mich.), would transition doctors from their current fee-for-service payment system to more of a value-based payment system over a series of multi-year phases, beginning with about five years of fee stabilization.
 
The proposal looks a lot like the bipartisan bill introduced in the House by Rep. Joe Heck (R-Nev.) and Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa.) in February, pointed out Charles Cutler MD, chair of the Board of Regents at the American College of Physicians. The Heck/Schwartz bill “merits strong consideration by the subcommittee,” Cutler testified.
 
The Republican-controlled Health subcommittee is at least paying lip service to the idea of reaching across the aisle on this issue.
 
“Let’s work together – as Republicans and Democrats engaged with physicians and other stakeholders – to get the payment reform policy right,” said subcommittee head Kevin Brady (R-Tex.) in his opening remarks at the hearing.” The goal is not a perfect policy, but a good policy.”