Medicare fee cuts delayed until February 28, 2010

Senate passes FY 2010 Defense Appropriations Bill Dec 19, 2009, which will temporarily halt the present plan to implement Medicare fee cuts of 21.2%, until February 28, 2010. This also delays the updated fee schedule that Medicare was going to put into effect until the end of February as well.


As this measure seems to be a quick foot note at the end of defense spending bill, it might seem like an after thought. However, also tucked in to the end of this bill are similar extensions for unemployment insurance, the COBRA health insurance subsidy that was included with the stimulus program, flood insurance, and the Patriot Act. My guess is that these concessions were allowed here simply to give congress and the senate more time to come back to the table to resolve these issues next year. With health care reform being the President's primary agenda, they probably had little time for anything else. I do think this shows as a positive sign that they are serious about further consideration, so keep your fingers crossed.

Per the MPMA (Michigan Podiatric Medical Association):
"The President is expected to sign the bill upon his return from Copenhagen.... What happens after February 28 will depend upon agreements reached between the House and Senate after the first of the year. A measure included in Senate reform bill HR 3590 would provide a 0.5% 1-year update for 2010. APMA has told Congress it prefers a solution approved by the House in HR 3961 that provides a 1.2% update for 2010, eliminates the SGR formula, and calculates future updates based on new formula."

Keep your eyes peeled and support your local medical association so that you can get the legislation you want and need to continue to get paid to serve in your communities.

To read the summary of FY 2010 click here.