Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Advocacy
Congress must adopt policy changes to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) 2008 Medicare physician payment schedule to avert payment cuts driven by the current Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula. A 10% reduction in the 2008 conversion factor is forecasted and the Medicare Trustees predict cuts of nearly 40% over the next eight years. These cuts are unsustainable and raise serious concerns for all health care providers contemplating the adoption of CMS information technology and quality initiatives, while continuing to accept new Medicare patients.
AUGS places this issue as the priority and will work closely with organized medicine to force congressional action to avoid these payment cuts. These cuts disproportionately affect urogynecologists compared to some other specialties and it is important to have a greater presence when strategies are developed to address these issues. AUGS will also be more proactive and join organized medicine when they meet with lawmakers on payment issues as well as activate the AUGS membership on the issue when appropriate.