The House Ways and Means Committee posted the text of The American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act of 2010, along with summary documents. Here's my read of the bill's Medicare payment provisions:
- 1.3% increase to Medicare reimbursements from June 1 through Dec. 31.
- 1% increase to Medicare payments from Jan. 1, 2011 through Dec. 31, 2011.
- Physician reimbursement rates will not drop during 2012 and 2013. Payments could go up to keep up with spending growth.
- Medicare reimbursements would be subject to sustainable growth rate (SGR) cuts in years 2014 and beyond.
- Physician practices in California would see higher payments because of updates to the geographic adjustment factor, or GAF. Physicians have protested payment imbalances in the Golden State over the last several years.