Medicare SGR Cut Deadline Looming Again

Once again, the deadline for the automatic cut to the Medicare physician fee schedule, which this year amounts to 21%, is nearing. The Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) will take effect on claims with dates of service starting April 1st unless the government passes another yearly delay, or finally enacts a long term fix to the current law.

Whereas Congress has repeatedly passed delays in years past, which prevented the cuts but also left reimburse- ment rates stagnant, multiple media outlets have reported that the House has made significant progress on a bipartisan deal to permanently replace SGR and end the yearly threat of cuts.

The deal has yet to make it through Congress, but President Obama said he will quickly sign any such bill. If no

deal is reached, Medicare has announced that they will begin processing April charges under the reduced rates.