Medicare payment cuts hurt access to care, survey shows

An online survey released Sept. 3 by the American Medical Association indicates that Medicare payment cuts to physicians, nurses and other health professionals hurt access to care for America's seniors.

"Physicians want to serve America's seniors, but they simply cannot afford to accept an unlimited number of new Medicare patients into their practices while facing continued payment cuts," said Richard F. Corlin, MD, the AMA immediate-past president. "According to the AMA's online survey, 24 percent of physicians have either placed limits on the number of Medicare patients they treat or plan to institute limits in the next six months due to sharp Medicare payment cuts.

"America's physicians and other health professionals have already taken a 5.4 percent Medicare payment cut. When the AMA asked physicians if they would continue to sign Medicare participation agreements if there were additional Medicare payment cuts, 42 percent said they would not," Corlin said. "If Congress fails to act soon, physicians face an additional 12 percent cut over three years. These Medicare cuts are coming at a time when physicians' practice expenses, particularly medical liability insurance costs, are skyrocketing."

Signs of access problems due to Medicare cuts have been demonstrated elsewhere as well.

"Just last month, a survey by the Medicare Rights Center, a patient organization, found that Medicare beneficiaries in 15 states and the District of Columbia are already having trouble finding a physician who accepts new Medicare patients," Corlin said.

"The American Academy of Family Physicians released survey data showing that 22 percent of family physicians are no longer taking new Medicare patients, a significant increase from the same survey done one year earlier.

"Congress must act to stop Medicare payment cuts and keep the Medicare program strong for America's seniors. The AMA supports the House-passed Medicare bill (HR 4954), which helps seniors get the prescription drugs they need; fixes the Medicare payment problem; and provides regulatory relief so physicians spend more time with patients and less time on paperwork," Corlin continued. "The new Medicare payment rule will be issued on Nov. 1. The Senate must act in the next few weeks to pass legislation that is at least as strong as the House-passed bill and can be signed into law by Nov. 1. America's seniors deserve no less."