Medicare cut looms. (Short Takes).
Physicians may have dodged a Medicare payment cut this year, but next year may be another question.The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services predict that Medicare physician payments will likely be cut by 4.2 percent next year. This cut would occur even though Congress recently passed legislation designed to correct the government's payment mistake and boost Medicare spending by $54 billion over the next 10 years.
Speaking on behalf of the American Medical Association, Yank D. Coble, Jr., MD, said, the "announcement of more Medicare physician payment cuts is proof that Medicare's physician payment formula is fatally flawed and must be replaced."
James A. Hawkins is a health care writer based in Aiken, S.C. He can be reached by phone at (803)414-2062 or by e-mail at hir@ix.netcom.com.
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| Title Annotation: | the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services predict that Medicare physician payments will be cut by 4.2% in 2004 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Hawkins, James A. |
| Publication: | Physician Executive |
| Article Type: | Brief Article |
| Geographic Code: | 1USA |
| Date: | May 1, 2003 |
| Words: | 134 |
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