The  House of Representatives passed a bill similar to one passed by the Senate on Dec. 17 that postpones the impending 27.4 percent cut to physicians’ Medicare reimbursement rates for two months.The Senate’s amended version of the House bill, called the Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011, would have extended the 0 percent update through Feb. 29, 2012.

Both House and Senate bills would extend a number of other health provisions, including:

Sec. 302. 2-month extension of MMA section 508 reclassifications.

Sec. 303. Extension of Medicare work geographic adjustment floor.

Sec. 304. Extension of exceptions process for Medicare therapy caps.

Sec. 305. Extension of payment for technical component of certain physician pathology services.

Sec. 306. Extension of ambulance add-ons.

Sec. 307. Extension of physician fee schedule mental health add-on payment.

Sec. 308. Extension of outpatient hold harmless provision.

Sec. 309. Extending minimum payment for bone mass measurement.

Sec. 310. Extension of the qualifying individual (QI) program.

Sec. 311. Extension of Transitional Medical Assistance (TMA).

Sec. 312. Extension of the temporary assistance for needy families program.

13 Responses to “House Votes: Physician Pay Cut Put Off”

1. Physician Pay Cut Up in Air | AAPC News Feed Says:
   December 19th, 2011 at 6:41 pm

   [...] Two days before Congress shut down for the holidays, the Senate approved legislation on Dec. 17 that postpones the impending 27.4 percent cut to physicians’ Medicare reimbursement rates. Reminiscent of 2010, however, the bill only postpones the pay cut for two months. Without a permanent fix to the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula, which sets… Read more » [...]

2. Rick Gladish, RCC,CPC Says:
   December 21st, 2011 at 11:06 am

   absolutely crazy that they are going to take a month paid vacation while physicians arent getting paid and many are looking at stopping care of Medicare patients. It is time we as taxpayers and the voters demand some restructure of how these elected officials work and get paid. As taxpayers we should demand that THEIR salaries be held until a agreement can be reached.

3. Renee Segal Says:
   December 21st, 2011 at 11:41 am

   Is Medicare going to extend the December 31, 2011 deadline for participation opt-out due to Congress’s inaction? If the cut stands, we will withdraw from partipation. However, if the cut is reversed, we will continue to participate. Does Medicare and the Congress recognize this deadline dilemma?

4. Anita Moore Says:
   December 21st, 2011 at 11:59 am

   Rick great idea. How do we od it? I know throught our voting process. What can we do right now?

5. Gina Murphy Says:
   December 21st, 2011 at 12:40 pm

   Call and email your Senators and Congressman/Women. Even though they are not in their offices, their staffs are getting those messages and if their inboxes and phone lines become overflowing, they will have to take action.

6. Teresa Bass, CPC Says:
   December 21st, 2011 at 1:38 pm

   I agree with Rick. I too believe that is physician’s payments are going to be delayed then their oat should be too. Providers are getting less and less each year, yet congress continues to get pay raises! It is time we all act and contact our representatives!

7. Carol Hoppe Says:
   December 21st, 2011 at 5:34 pm

   This continues to happen year after year after year. Can they please address the SGR and come up with a long term solution instead of waiting until December and postponing it into January every year? This is just getting ridiculous! I agree with Rick. If they aren’t going to use our tax dollars appropriately, then let’s just stop paying their salaries and use our tax money to pay for our own healthcare.

8. Mandy Cotton, CPC Says:
   December 21st, 2011 at 5:58 pm

   OMG maybe the congress should, start taking care of the older people and not all about themselves for once. Their are physician’s out their that only pretty much see medicare patients, that if you cut the flow of medicare payment they will have to take a vacation themselves, because they can’t afford to keep their door open without money comming in. Get real or get lost!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

9. Melissa Fretz Says:
   December 22nd, 2011 at 7:20 am

   This will also lower your commercial payers too. All of our contracts are based on a percentage of what medicare pays.

10. Mary Jinkins Says:
    December 22nd, 2011 at 8:27 am

    About 60% of our clinic business is either medicare or medicaid. We are not allowed to close our door without having another provider “cover” for us. We’re in a rural community where people have nowhere to go if we close. Politicians should have their insurance, pensions and other benefits that we pay for taken away entirely. Wouldn’t help the deficit a whole lot, but it sure would send them a message like they keep sending us. They play with our lives as if it means nothing, so let’s send them the same message. We dont have any need for any of them if they aren’t working for us. Don’t pay them a dime till they do their job – even if they have to work thru Christmas like a lot of us “average joes”.

11. Kristi Jones-Bartley Says:
    December 22nd, 2011 at 8:28 am

    We all need to do what we can – which is this point is limited to notifying our representatives and senators regarding our feelings…and encourage everyone else to do so!

12. Ana Wallace CPC Says:
    December 22nd, 2011 at 8:44 am

    Lack of Leadership! This is the reason nothing is accomplished in Wash.
    week after week regardless of the issue. All the grandstanding is a disgrace. Where is the Leadership? Here we go again. To cease claims processing thus stopping cash flow will have a significant negative impact on the majority of medical practices. This is not a game Washington.

13. Dorothy Gibson CPC Says:
    December 22nd, 2011 at 6:18 pm

    I agree with the comments, however ,with the 14 day floor on transmit claims they really aren’t holding payments as the floor would apply from Jan. 1,2012 to Jan. 14, 2012 anyway. The nightmare begins with the small balances to deal with AFTER they do another temporary fix year after year and pay the wrong fee schedule for 6 months. Then the fun begins when we have to deal with the fall out from their fix. Patients get an EOB from them for .58 that is a year old then the claim crosses over to the secondary ……….. and on and on ……

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