Centers For Medicare And Medicaid Services Delays SGR Cut Three More Days (06/14/10)

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have instructed Medicare Administrative Carriers (MACs) to hold claims for three more days, postponing the processing of claims at a lower rate until Friday, June 18.  Congress continues to work on legislation that would include a provision to block the 21.3% Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) cut retroactive to June 1, 2010 and through the end of 2011.  The measure would provide a 2.2% update to provider payments for the rest of 2010 and an additional 1% for 2011. Read on for an important call to action with a suggested message to send to your Congressperson.

Psychologists and their patients need Congress to act NOW. Your legislators need to hear from you that Congress must immediately halt the 21.3% cut to Medicare provider payments and should permanently replace the flawed SGR formula.

Targets:
All U.S. Senators and Representatives

Action:
Click here to urge your Senators and Representative to immediately halt the SGR cut

If you are not able to reach the Legislative Action Center from the above link, please paste this address in your browser: http://capwiz.com/apapractice/issues/alert/?alertid=14871116.

Grassroots feedback is extremely important to our advocacy efforts, so we would very much appreciate it if you would e-mail (jco…@apa.org [click to verify and reveal email]) or fax (202-336-5797) us any substantive responses (other than auto-responses) you receive from your Senators or Representative.

Suggested Message:
I am writing as a constituent and psychologist to urge you to immediately halt the 21.3% Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate cut retroactive to June 1 and work to permanently replace the flawed SGR formula as soon as possible.  This cut will have severe consequences for patient access to quality mental health care and must be addressed immediately.  Thank you for your time and consideration.

Jeff Cook, J.D.
Director of Field & State Operations
American Psychological Association Practice Organization
750 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20002
(202) 336-5875 (Office)
(202) 336-5797 (Fax)
jco…@apa.org (click to verify and reveal email)

Republished with permission: APAPO