Intelligence Unit
Special Reports
Special Events
Subscribe
Sponsored
Departments
- Leadership
- Finance
- Technology
- Physicians
- Community Hospitals
- Health Plans
- Marketing
- Quality
- Nursing
- HR
Follow Us
Physicians Ask Congress for SGR Alternatives
Physicians' advocates have asked Congress to scrap Medicare's widely reviled sustainable growth rate (SGR) payment scheme and replace it with flexible payment options that reward quality and efficiency.
The House Ways & Means Committee in April had asked the American Medical Association and the Medical Group Management Association to suggest alternatives to the SGR, which is scheduled for a 30.9% reduction on Jan. 1, 2013.
AMA CEO James L. Madara, MD, in a May 25 letter to the committee said any cost-efficient payment model redesigns should give physicians the resources and flexibility to keep patients healthier, improve care coordination, manage chronic conditions, reduce duplication of services, and prevent avoidable admissions.
"For Medicare's physician payment system to move in this direction, there needs to be a transition period with opportunities for physicians to move into innovative payment and delivery models in ways that enable them to gain skills and experience in taking accountability for improving care and lowering growth in costs," Madara wrote.
- $6.4B Henry Ford, Beaumont Merger Failed on Cultural Hurdles
- House Lawmakers Grill CMS Over Health Exchange Navigators
- Don't Let Nurses Sink Your Bottom Line
- Fortunately, Angelina Jolie Isn't On Medicare
- How Chargemaster Data May Affect Hospital Revenue
- Insurer's App Aims to Lower Healthcare Costs, Securely
- Primary Care Docs Average More Hospital Revenue Than Specialists
- ED Physicians Key to Half of Hospital Admissions
- Uncompensated Care Faces a Double Hit in Some States
- Hospital Pricing Transparency a Marketing Game Changer
Comments are moderated. Please be patient.
DonS (6/4/2012 at 4:35 PM)
The SGR must be addressed this year. Beginning in 2013 and for 2014, PPACA mandates that States Medicaid rates for primary care E&M be at least Medicare rates. The States will have trouble putting this in place if the SGR rolls on with Congressional patches and the 'doc-fix' isnt decided on until the last minute - or like in some years, not until after January 1!
Joshua (5/30/2012 at 11:39 AM)
It was great to read your article, and even better to hear both the MGMA and AMA make the case for alternatives rather than simply avoiding the SGR. The government needs to evoke incentives for quality outcomes and the providers (both hospitals and physicians) can aptly bring these quality outcomes when working together. Global payment, ACOs, and results-based payment for treatments have historically been rejected by physician advocates. However, coming to a joint agreement and leaving behind one-size-fits-all will be beneficial to both patients and providers.