SVT Champions Fight Against Medicare Update Rollback
SVT has joined with the American Medical Association, medical specialty groups, and a host of other health care organizations to fight the fee schedule update formula that could result in a 4–5 percent across the board cut in fee schedule payments. Currently, Medicare officials are required by law to use the seriously flawed
formula to calculate conversion factors updates for payments.

In a sharply worded letter, the organizations representing over one million health professionals appealed to Congress to act now to delay the 2002 update as a stopgap until permanent changes in the update formula can be made.

If the 2002 update goes into effect as planned, providers and beneficiaries alike could be hurt by the cuts. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) has called for the elimination of current formula and warned that using the formula next year could “raise concerns about the adequacy of payments and beneficiary access to care.”

ADDITIONAL READING

Sample of letter sent to members of Congress (PDF, 25K)

signed by representatives from:

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
American Academy of Dermatology Association
American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Academy of Neurology
American Academy of Ophthalmology
American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
American Academy of Physician Assistants
American Academy of Sleep Medicine
American Association for Thoracic Surgery
American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists
American Association of Neurological Surgeons
American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons
American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
American College of Cardiology
American College of Chest Physicians
American College of Emergency Physicians
American College of Nuclear Physicians
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians
American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians
American College of Osteopathic Surgeons
American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine
American College of Radiology
American College of Rheumatology
American College of Surgeons
American Gastroenterological Association
American Geriatrics Society
American Medical Association
American Medical Group Association
American Occupational Therapy Association
American Optometric Association
American Osteopathic Association
American Physical Therapy Association
American Podiatric Medical Association
American Psychiatric Association
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology
American Society of Anesthesiologists
American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
American Society of Clinical Oncology
American Society of Clinical Pathologists
American Society of General Surgeons
American Society of Hematology
American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians
American Society of Plastic Surgeons
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
American Thoracic Society
American Urological Association
Association of American Medical Colleges
College of American Pathologists
Congress of Neurological Surgeons
Infectious Diseases Society of America
Joint Council of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
Medical Group Management Association
National Association for Medical Direction in Respiratory Care
National Medical Association
North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology
North American Spine Society
Renal Physicians Association
Society for Excellence in Eyecare
Society of Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology
Society of Critical Care Medicine
Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Society of General Internal Medicine
Society of Gynecologic Oncologists
Society of Nuclear Medicine
Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Society of Vascular Technology
The Endocrine Society