Donald W. Fisher, PhD, CAE President and CEO of the American Medical Group Association (AMGA), today announced its policy stance on the pending Congressional action to address the Medicare sustainable growth rate formula (SGR) problem for physicians.
"The SGR is a fatally flawed tool that has never been easily redressed by policymakers," said Fisher, "but we appreciate Congress' continuing actions to ensure Medicare beneficiaries' access to care. But lurching from one patch to another is a difficult way to run a federal program that requires the confidence of patients and physicians alike. We need bold action that builds on the delivery system reform included in the Patient Protection & Afford Care Act (PPACA) - Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs)."
Fisher added, "Given the timing of this new 'patch,' with Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) scheduled to be implemented in under two years, and because these important entities need to have a reliable stream of Medicare funding to function, AMGA and its members strongly believe that Congress should move swiftly to create a separate SGR pool for ACOs. To be clear, a permanent solution for the SGR is necessary, but at a minimum, policymakers need to seize the opportunity for bold action that advances federal healthcare programming in a taxpayer sensitive manner versus simply maintaining our current failed model."
In addition to calling for a separate SGR pool for Accountable Care Organizations, AMGA supports Congressional actions to pass a multi-year SGR patch for all physicians.
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