23 May 2008
Congress, get off your duffs and stop the cutting of funds for Medicare. The cuts are being made to payments for doctors, in turn the doctors are forced to limit the number of new Medicare patients that they are willing to treat. This is creating real problems for seniors starting with a search to find a doctor who will see them. In three years, baby boomers will begin to reach Medicare age and Medicare rolls will keep expanding. By 2030, one-fifth of the U.S. population will be over age 65. Add to that figure that we are already seeing a physician shortage. This is a situation that does not bode well for seniors, especially those who will be first time Medicare users. Having Congress intervene is the only way to stop the cuts which occur automatically due to a flawed mathematical equation. Action must be taken immediately.
Fortunately there is a bipartisan commitment to retain seniors’ access to care. There is legislation being put forward which would replace 18 months of physician payment cuts with payment updates that better reflect medical practice cost increases. This amount of time is important to provide some stability in the system. Three-quarters of Americans want Congress to stop the cuts so seniors will have access to care. Immediate action in Congress to stop cuts will show the leadership needed to
allow seniors access to care.
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