Leaders in the House and Senate are drafting a four-year Medicare physician payment plan that would raise reimbursements by 2.2% for the rest of 2010, provide a 1% increase in 2011 and potentially institute additional positive updates through 2014, according to an analysis by the AMA.
However, the AMA and other groups are mounting opposition to the plan. This approach temporarily delays the sustainable growth rate (SGR) cut until 2015 -- when physician reimbursements would drop 37%, according to estimates. The AMA has repeatedly called for a permanent pay fix this year.
"By 2015, we believe that the price tag to permanently repeal the SGR, or even extend the proposed 2012-2014 policy, could exceed $500 billion," the AMA says.