AADA Responds to 10-month Medicare Physician Payment Delay

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Feb 17, 2012, 06:26 ET

SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Feb. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is a statement from Ronald L. Moy, MD, FAAD, President, American Academy of Dermatology Association:

The American Academy of Dermatology Association (AADA) is severely disappointed that Congress once again allowed partisan politics to stand in the way of a full sustainable growth rate (SGR) fix. The AADA is grateful to those members of Congress who fought for full SGR repeal as part of the bipartisan conference committee package, and acknowledges the committee's efforts to once again delay the 27 percent cut in physician payments that was scheduled to begin in just a few days.

However well-intentioned, this 10-month stop-gap approach showcases another missed opportunity by Congress to provide stability in Medicare payments to physicians, and jeopardizes access to quality dermatologic care for Medicare beneficiaries across the country. While Congress has voted to avert the cuts for more than a decade, physicians have yet to see a bipartisan step forward to permanently address the broken formula. The constant threat posed by the current unsustainable and unstable payment structure creates a tremendous burden on our small businesses, the staff that we employ in our practices, and the patients who we serve.

The Academy and its members will continue to pursue a permanent SGR repeal to ensure that this is the last temporary patch before Congress must, once again, address this issue in just a few months.

SOURCE American Academy of Dermatology