Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) has introduced the Medicare Physician Fairness Act of 2009 (S. 1776) to eliminate the scheduled 21.5% cut in Medicare reimbursement to physicians. S. 1776, which has four cosponsors, would also repeal the sustainable growth rate (SGR).  This would do away with the annual congressional legislative exercise of patching the Medicare Fee Schedule to eliminate a cut in reimbursement to all physicians.

The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) applauds Senator Stabenow, who has taken a leadership role in health issues.  It is important to let your Senators know the importance of averting the planned 21.5% cut and fixing the payment system. Contact information can be found on the COA website at www.communityoncology.org under the Legislative Action Center.  A copy of the bill can be found under Breaking News on the COA website.

S. 1776 pulls the Medicare fee schedule fix out of the health care reform legislation. This is being done for several reasons and creates politically-charged issues that will ping-pong between the Senate and the House.  If you want to read more about this, go to the COA website under Breaking News and read the article entitled Senate Move on Medicare Payments Sets up Pay-go Showdown with House.

It is important to understand that community oncology still faces severe payment cuts to drug administration, consultation services, imaging, and radiation.  It is critical to also let your Senators understand this and to gain their support as they consider physician payment issues.  As we have related, 112 Representatives are sending a letter to HHS Secretary Sebelius requesting that implementation of the Medicare cuts to cancer care be stopped.  We have to make sure that the oncology-specific cuts remain even with addressing the overall 21.5% cut.

Fixing the Medicare payment system is critical, because as any community oncology practice knows, it is a broken system when it comes to cancer care.  It is critical to enlist the support of your members of Congress to help stop the cuts to cancer care.