[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 22782]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            FIX FLAWED MEDICARE PHYSICIAN REIMBURSEMENT RATE

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                            HON. TODD TIAHRT

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 14, 2002

  Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to encourage my fellow Members 
of Congress to act to fix the flawed Medicare physician reimbursement 
rate that is developing into a crisis for our nation's physicians and 
seniors. Last January, Medicare's flawed formula dictated a 5.4 percent 
cut in already inadequate reimbursement rates for physicians. Unless we 
do something today, a second cut of 4.4 percent will go into effect on 
January 1st. Many physicians around the country have already been 
forced to refuse new Medicare patients or face bankruptcy. In my state 
of Kansas--a rural state already medically underserved--physicians have 
lost money, but of more concern is that one survey of physicians in 
Kansas showed that 24 percent of them were not taking new Medicare 
patients. It bothers me to think of how high that number will rise if 
we do not act.
  This problem is due to bureaucratic miscalculations when creating the 
payment formula. The formula needs to be fixed. and we should grant CMS 
the ability to do so before the second cut goes into effect.
  355 of us, on both sides of the aisle, cosponsored Rep. Michael 
Bilirakis' bill to fix this problem. The White House supports fixing 
the formula. CMS Director Scully has stated that fixing the formula is 
a top priority. We have strong support and a ready solution to fix this 
problem.
  This is no ``Chicken Little'' story. Without Congressional action, 
the sky will fall in, doctors will be unable to participate in Medicare 
and our seniors will be left without care. I urge you not to close the 
107th session of Congress without addressing this critical issue.

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