AMA’s Patients' Action Network
"Stop the clock." In football, that might mean running out of bounds during a potential game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter. In basketball, teams will often foul to stop the clock when trailing.
But for seniors and our military families, stopping the clock has taken on a whole new meaning. On March 1, a Medicare physician payment cut of more than 20 percent will go into effect. This cut will impact the physicians who treat Medicare and TRICARE patients, many of whom will find that payments no longer cover their own costs for the care they provide. Seniors and military families will pay the price, with fewer doctors and less access to the care they’ve earned.
Time is ticking away for Congress to stop the looming 21 percent cut in Medicare physician payments. The time to act is now. Make your voice heard.
The letter below will be sent on your behalf to targeted legislators when you complete the registration form and click “Take Action”:
I am a patient who is concerned about the constant cycle of mandated Medicare physician payment cuts.
Every year, doctors are threatened with cuts to their Medicare payments for treating those most in need. I fear that these cuts to Medicare have the potential to prevent many doctors from investing in health information technology and other improvements to their practice. These cuts impact future patients, as many doctors are now thinking of not taking on new Medicare patients, or perhaps even quitting their practice altogether.
If these cuts go into effect, I am very worried that I won't be able to find a physician when I need one.
Cutting these Medicare payments will restrict patients' access to health care, which makes absolutely no sense as millions of baby boomers are about to retire and enter into the Medicare system. It is time--right now--to permanently fix the Medicare physician access problem.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.