Update: Senate Passes HR 4302; Bill Expects to be Signed Into Law March 31, 2014 Advocacy, Medicare, News Medicare SGR, SGR, California GPCI, HR 4302 0 Tonight the Senate voted 64-35 to adopt HR 4302, the 17th patch to stop the 24% Medicare SGR payment cut for one year until April 2015. The House passed an identical version of the bill by voice vote on March 27, and President Obama is expected to sign the legislation into law. Despite Congress’ failure to achieve long-term reform, there is a silver-lining for California physicians. HR 4302 includes the following: Stops the Medicare SGR 24% payment cut for one year until April 2015. Provides a 0.5% update through Dec 31, 2014; 0% update January to April 2015. Delays the costly, burdensome ICD-10 coding system for one year until Oct 2015. Provides permanent geographic locality reform which provides at least $400 million in increased payments to physicians in San Benito, Santa Cruz, Marin, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Monterey, Sonoma, Placer, El dorado, Yolo, Sacramento, San Luis Obispo, Riverside and San Bernardino. It also holds the rural county physicians harmless from cuts permanently. SFMS/CMA and organized medicine will continue working with Congress this year to finish the legislation and achieve a comprehensive permanent solution. Click here for a section-by-section summary of HR 4302 from the American Medical Association. Comments are closed.
