Member Alert-From the American Academy of Ophthalmology

Physicians will be spared from the 27 percent cut in Medicare reimbursement that was slated to hit today. The reprieve is part of a bipartisan agreement that extends expiring tax provisions and temporarily prevents across-the-board cuts in government spending, a process known as sequestration. The legislation provides a one-year reprieve from the physician pay cut caused by the faulty sustainable growth rate formula. It also stops a 2 percent reduction in Medicare reimbursement that was included in sequestration, but only for two months.

The Academy will continue to push in the 113th Congress for the sequestration cut to be stopped and for a permanent solution to the SGR formula, which would provide necessary stability to physician reimbursement and patient access to care. More details about this ongoing issue and implementation guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will appear in Washington Report Express.

For more information, email cgcohen@aaodc.org