Physician Groups Urge Congress To Save Primary Care Bonus

The American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP) along with the Ohio ACOFP, and more 150 national and regional physician associations sent a letter this week to all US House and Senate offices urging each Representative and Senator  not to eliminate the Medicaid Primary Care Incentive bonus to pay for the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) fix.  

Nixing this pay hike is one of the proposed ingredients in a one-year, $25 billion SGR fix that is percolating on Capitol Hill, and it could be folded into a fiscal cliff deal.  
 
ACOFP state chapters who signed the letter include:

• Arizona Society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians
• Colorado Society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians
• Florida Society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians
• Illinois Society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians
• Iowa Chapter of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians
• Kansas Society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians
• Michigan Association of Osteopathic Family Physicians
• Mississippi State Society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians
• Missouri Society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians
• North Carolina Society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians
• Ohio Society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians
• Pennsylvania Osteopathic Family Physicians Society
• Tennessee State Society of Osteopathic Family Physicians
• Texas Society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians
• Virginia Society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians

The ACOFP and the American Osteopathic Association are actively lobbying to stave off the potential 26.5 percent cut to physician reimbursements, as well as an additional proposed 2 percent cut as a result of sequestration.   Watch this video for important  information.

Congress is running out of time to stop the upcoming 26.5% cut to Medicare physician payments,  and the divided Congress is making advocacy more difficult. The  looming threat of sequestration will create an additional 2% cut if Congress fails to act by January 2, plus additional cuts to graduate medical education (GME) and research funding.

Congress must take action to permanently repeal the systemically flawed sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula and provide some stabilization of the current Medicare payments system for physicians. In addition, a balanced approach to deficit reduction must be agreed upon to prevent sequestration. Send your letter now!!