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The Hono orable Max Baucus<br />

Chairman n, Committee on Finance<br />

U.S. Sena ate<br />

219 Dirks sen Senate Of ffice Building g<br />

Washington,<br />

DC 20510 0<br />

The Hono orable Dave Camp C<br />

Chairman n, Committee on Ways and d Means<br />

U.S. Hous se of Represe entatives<br />

1102 Lon ngworth House<br />

Office Building<br />

Washington,<br />

DC 20515 5<br />

The Hono orable Fred Upton U<br />

Chairman n, Committee on Energy an nd Commerce e<br />

U.S. Hous se of Represe entatives<br />

2125 Ray yburn House Office O Buildin ng<br />

Washington,<br />

DC 20515 5<br />

RE: Mov ving forwar rd from the sustainable e growth ratte<br />

(SGR) syystem<br />

Dear Cha airmen and Ranking R Mem mbers:<br />

The susta ainable grow wth rate (SGR R) system— —<strong>Medicare</strong>’s formulaic payment<br />

methhod<br />

for servvices<br />

provided d by physicia ans and other r health prof fessionals—iis<br />

fundamenntally<br />

flawedd<br />

and is creatting<br />

instability y in the Med dicare progra am for provi iders and benneficiaries.<br />

TThis<br />

system, , which ties aannual<br />

updates to t cumulativ ve expenditur res since 199 96, has failedd<br />

to restrain volume groowth<br />

and, in fact,<br />

may have e exacerbate ed it. Althoug gh the pressu ure of the SGGR<br />

likely minimized<br />

feee<br />

increases inn<br />

the last<br />

decade, this t effect disproportiona<br />

ately burden ned physicianns<br />

and healthh<br />

professionals<br />

in speciaalties<br />

with less ability to in ncrease volum me. Addition nally, tempoorary,<br />

stop-gaap<br />

“fixes” too<br />

override thhe<br />

SGR<br />

are under rmining the credibility of o <strong>Medicare</strong> because b theyy<br />

engender uuncertainty<br />

aand<br />

anger ammong<br />

physician ns and other health profe essionals, wh hich may be causing anxxiety<br />

among beneficiariees.<br />

The<br />

risks of retaining r the SGR now clearly c outwe eigh the beneefits.<br />

Moreoover,<br />

the costt<br />

of full repeeal,<br />

as<br />

1<br />

.<br />

601 New Jerseyy<br />

Avenue, N.W. • Suite 9000<br />

Washington, DCC<br />

20001<br />

202-220-3700 • Fax: 202-220-37759<br />

www.medpac.goov<br />

Glenn M. Hackbbarth,<br />

J.D., Chairmman<br />

Robert A. Berensson,<br />

M.D., F.A.C.PP.,<br />

Vice Chairman n<br />

Mark E. Miller, PPh.D.,<br />

Executive DDirector<br />

October 14, 2011<br />

The Hoonorable<br />

Orriin<br />

G. Hatch<br />

Rankinng<br />

Member, CCommittee<br />

onn<br />

Finance<br />

U.S. Senate<br />

104 Haart<br />

Senate Offfice<br />

Buildingg<br />

Washinngton,<br />

DC 200510<br />

The Hoonorable<br />

Sannder<br />

M. Levinn<br />

Rankinng<br />

Member, CCommittee<br />

onn<br />

Ways and MMeans<br />

U.S. HHouse<br />

of Reprresentatives<br />

1139EE<br />

Longworth HHouse<br />

Office Building<br />

Washinngton,<br />

DC 200515<br />

The Hoonorable<br />

Hennry<br />

A. Waxman<br />

Rankinng<br />

Member, CCommittee<br />

onn<br />

Energy and<br />

Commmerce<br />

U.S. HHouse<br />

of Reprresentatives<br />

2322AA<br />

Rayburn Hoouse<br />

Office Building<br />

Washinngton,<br />

DC 200515<br />

Report to the Congress: <strong>Medicare</strong> <strong>Payment</strong> <strong>Policy</strong> | March 2013<br />

371

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