Fewer Texas Physicians Accepting New Medicare Patients; Payment Cut Would Exacerbate Problem
Fifty-eight percent of Texas physicians are accepting new Medicare beneficiaries, compared with 90% before 1990, according to a survey by the Texas Medical Association, the Houston Chronicle reports. The proportion of primary care physicians accepting new beneficiaries is 38%, according to the survey. The physicians say treating these patients is no longer affordable because of Medicare reimbursement rates, which have declined by 20% in inflation-adjusted dollars over the last seven years. TMA predicts that the trend will continue unless Congress develops a long-term solution regarding physician reimbursement under Medicare, with debate in Congress continuing over how to eliminate a scheduled Medicare physician payment cut.
The cut was originally scheduled to take effect last week, but CMS announced it would process no new claims until July 15, giving Congress a chance to block the measure. If the cut, and an additional 5% cut scheduled for January 2009, take effect, Texas physicians would lose $860 million treating Medicare beneficiaries over the next 18 months, according to TMA.
"In my 50 years in medicine, I've not seen the level of frustration and anger out there now," TMA President Josie Williams said. Williams added, "Most doctors have got to the point that they don't think the real problem's ever going to be fixed and are looking at whether to continue participating. They feel they've carried Medicare on their backs as long as they can" (Ackerman, Houston Chronicle, 7/3).
