A Senate bill to extend the SGR patch and avert the 21.2% Medicare fee cut is being held up by one Senator.

The Senate will try to pass this bill today and send it to the House for final passage.

Be prepared for a potential delay in processing your Medicare claims.

The Senate has a bill ready that would extend the patch to the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula through the end of March, thereby averting the 21.2% payment cut effective March 1st. This bill also includes other programs that need extending, such as COBRA and unemployment benefits.

There is an agreement between the Senate Democrats and Republicans to pass this bill under expedited procedures, but this requires unanimous consent of all Senators. Unfortunately, outgoing Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY) is objecting to this bill in that he wants excess stimulus funds to pay for it, rather than increasing the federal debt. This is not an orchestrated event. Senator Bunning is not seeking reelection and is on his own in objecting to this extenders bill.

We believe that the Senate leadership is going to ask for the bill to be brought up on a continuous basis until Senator Bunning relents. One way or another, we believe that the Senate is trying to pass this bill and send it to the House for immediate passage.  There are a few other options but this expedited approach is the fastest.

This entire process surrounding the SGR and Medicare reimbursement for cancer care shows how broken the system is and Congress in dealing with it. Unfortunately, even if this very short-term patch is enacted, we will likely face the same absurd last-minute exercise within 30 days.

By the time you read this email, the logjam may be averted. If there is not a solution by Monday, CMS has the option of holding claims for the 10-day grace period or processing claims at the 21.2% cut rate, and then reprocess claims when the patch goes into effect and is retroactive.

On the Hill this week, we talked about the damage to community cancer clinics when claims are held, especially considering the expense of chemotherapy and biologics.

If you are frustrated and concerned about Senator Bunning holding up the bill containing the SGR patch, you can call his office at 202-224-4343.