AMA, Other Groups Push to Kill Proposed Physician Pay Cut

The groups had hoped that a permanent fix, now embedded in a H.R. 3961, a companion to the House health reform bill that was separated from health reform legislation last year, would be passed. It would add $210 billion to the federal deficit to cover the physician's pay.

But with Scott Brown's victory in Massachusetts, whether health reform will pass this year is in question, which concerns the groups.

"We are encouraging seniors, physicians, baby boomers, military personnel, and their families to contact their senators and let them know the urgency and the need to replace this formula with a permanent fix," Nielsen said. "They have to act before time runs out" in 38 days, which she said translates to 25 working days.

The situation is even worse in underserved and rural areas, where doctors are already in short supply. Many physicians are reaching retirement age, and may decide to retire earlier if the alternative is a struggle to increase workload, with longer hours, to keep their practices financially viable.

"This is a game, a dance, and a serious business," Nielsen said. "We're tired of it. Congress is tired of it, and our patients are very frightened by it."