Medicare Physician Payment Cuts Averted until June 1
April 21, 2010
On April 15, the Senate and House of Representatives passed, and the President signed into law, H.R. 4851 the "Continuing Extension Act of 2010". The bill reinstated Medicare physician payments to the March 31 level, again postponing the 21 percent cut that was scheduled to take effect in 2010. This most recent extension of 2009 payment rates will continue through May 31, and be applied retroactively to all physician services provided to Medicare patients in April.
The hold on processing April claims that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services had placed to avoid implementing the payment cut expired on April 15. CMS has instructed its contractors to retroactively reprocess any claims that were paid at the lower rate. Claims with dates of service prior to April 1, 2010, are not affected and will continue to be processed under normal procedures at the rates in effect on the date of service.
The College will continue to advocate for a long term solution and a permanent repeal of the sustainable growth rate formula.
