"The AMA is deeply disappointed that once again CMS has declined to take administrative actions within their power to lessen the severity of the Medicare cut, such as removing physician-administered drugs from the flawed Medicare physician payment formula.

"America's Medicare patients and the physicians who care for them are running out of time, with only two months left until Medicare cuts begin on January 1. Eighty Senators and 265 Representatives have sent letters to the congressional leadership calling for action this Congress. Congress must act during the upcoming lame-duck session to stop the cuts and provide payments that reflect practice costs, so seniors can continue to receive high quality health care."


Additional changes that negatively impact 2007 physician payments include:

* CMS rule on the 5-year review of payments for physician work produces a negative 5 percent budget neutrality adjustment
* Revised methodology for determining practice expense payments
* Expiration of Medicare Modernization Acts three-year increase in geographic payment adjustments (GPCIs)
* Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) cuts for imaging services provided by physicians

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Outpatient Services Rates Final

CMS has also announced the anticipated changes to policies and payment for outpatient services. Read the details and get a link to the rules at

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press/release.asp?Counter=2042

Read the AHA support of quality measures specifically for the outpatient setting at http://www.aha.org/aha/press-release/2006/061102-pr-opps.html

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