SHM Signs onto Letter Urging Congress to Vote Against SGR Patch

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The Honorable John A. Boehner
Speaker
U.S. House of Representatives
H-232 U.S. Capitol Building
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Minority Leader
U.S. House of Representatives
H-204 U.S. Capitol Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Speaker Boehner and Representative Pelosi:

On behalf of the undersigned physician organizations, we are writing to express our strong opposition to H.R. 4302, the "Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014,” and we urge you to vote against the bill when it is considered on the floor.

Instead of reforming the Medicare physician payment system, Congress seems intent on imposing yet another round of arbitrary provider payment reductions to maintain a corrosive policy that essentially every Member of Congress says should be scrapped. Importantly, by selectively choosing cost savings proposals that were included in the bipartisan, bicameral policy framework set forth in H.R. 4015 and S. 2000, the bill being considered would undermine future passage of that framework and add to the instability that now impedes the development and adoption of health care delivery and payment innovations that can strengthen the Medicare program.

It appears that an unprecedented, bipartisan agreement on Medicare reform is on the verge of being cast aside because elected leaders are unwilling to make tough choices to strengthen programs serving 50 million Americans. We strongly urge Members to vote against this legislation and renew our call for all parties to engage in good faith, bipartisan efforts to enact the physician payment and delivery system reform policy contained in H.R. 4015/ S. 2000, the SGR Repeal and Medicare Provider Payment Modernization Act. The endless cycle of short-term remedies that serve to support a failed policy are no longer acceptable.

Sincerely,

American Medical Association
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
American Academy of Dermatology Association
American Academy of Neurology
American Academy of Ophthalmology
American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
American Academy of Sleep Medicine
American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry
American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons
American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons
American College of Emergency Physicians
American College of Gastroenterology
American College of Mohs Surgery
American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians
American College of Osteopathic Internists
American College of Osteopathic Surgeons
American College of Phlebology
American College of Physicians
American College of Surgeons
American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
American Gastroenterological Association
American Geriatrics Society
American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society
American Osteopathic Association
American Pediatric Surgical Association
American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Association
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
American Society for Reproductive Medicine
American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery
American Society of Clinical Oncology
American Society of Disability Evaluating Physicians
American Society of General Surgeons
American Society of Hematology
American Society of Nephrology
American Urogynecologic Society
American Urological Association
College of American Pathologists
Infectious Diseases Society of America
Medical Group Management Association
National Association of Medical Examiners
North American Spine Society
National Association of Spine Specialists
Renal Physicians Association
Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions
Society of Critical Care Medicine
Society of Gynecologic Oncology
Society of Hospital Medicine
Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Alaska State Medical Association
Arkansas Medical Society
Connecticut State Medical Society
Medical Society of the District of Columbia
Medical Association of Georgia
Hawaii Medical Association
Idaho Medical Association
Illinois State Medical Society
Indiana State Medical Association
Iowa Medical Society
Kentucky Medical Association
Maine Medical Association
Massachusetts Medical Society
Michigan State Medical Society
Minnesota Medical Association
Mississippi State Medical Association
Missouri State Medical Association
Montana Medical Association
Nebraska Medical Association
Nevada State Medical Association
Medical Society of the State of New York
North Dakota Medical Association
Ohio State Medical Association
Oregon Medical Association
Pennsylvania Medical Society
Rhode Island Medical Society
South Dakota State Medical Association
Utah Medical Association
Vermont Medical Society
Medical Society of Virginia
Washington State Medical Association
Wisconsin Medical Society
Wyoming Medical Society

cc: U.S. House of Representatives