SGR Repeal Plea Backed by 110 Physician Groups

The groups are urging Congress to act on these points:

• Reform of the care delivery system is necessary to transition to "a high performing Medicare program that provides patient choice and meets the healthcare needs of a diverse patient population."
• The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services "must invest and support physician infrastructure that provides the platform for delivery and payment reform."
• Payment "should reflect costs of providing services as well as efforts and progress on quality improvement and managing costs."
• Transition should reflect diversity of physician practices and provide opportunity for physicians to choose payment models that work for their patients practice, specialty and region.
• Payment should include "incentives and rewards during a defined timetable, instead of using penalties to order abrupt changes in care delivery.
• Payment should include a way to measure progress and show policymakers that physicians are taking accountability for quality and costs.