Update on Legislation to Avert July 1 10.6 Percent Physician Pay Cut
A motion to vote on a bill to prevent the looming 10.6 percent physician payment cut set to go into effect on July 1 failed in the Senate on Thursday by a tally of 58-40. Senate rules require 60 votes to overcome a filibuster and proceed to a vote. Nine Republicans joined the Democrats in favor of the legislation, in which was otherwise a party line vote. H.R. 6331 had passed the House with an overwhelming bipartisan majority of 355-59 on Tuesday.
In addition to preventing the physician pay cut, the failed legislation included two ACR backed imaging utilization provisions: a mandatory accreditation requirement for providers of advanced diagnostic imaging and a demonstration program to test the use of imaging appropriateness criteria by referring physicians.
This latest development represents a setback in Congressional efforts to avoid the physician pay cut required by statute under the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula that determines physician payments.
Congress intends to take up the issue again when they return on July 8. This means that any subsequent action to address the cuts will most likely be retroactive requiring significant administrative adjustments by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). CMS has announced that they will not process any claims until July 15 in order to give Congress time to act.
The ACR continues to work towards a speedy resolution that would address the cuts while preserving what are important proposed imaging utilization reforms in current legislation.
To view how your Senator voted on this legislation click here.
To view a special Q and A on recent developments and what lies ahead with ACR Director of Congressional Affairs, Orrin Marcella, click here.
Please stay tuned, and do not hesitate to contact Josh Cooper, ACR Senior Director of Government Relations and Economic Affairs at jcooper@acr.org or Orrin Marcella, ACR Director of Congressional Affairs at omarcella@acr.org for more information.