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| Physician Payment Virtual Lobby Days – Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday |
On November 6, 7, and 8, ACOFP is joining over 70 other physician and other health care organizations to conduct three "Virtual Lobby Days" aimed at raising awareness about this issue with the United States Senate. Over these three days, we are asking physicians, their staff, their families, and most importantly their patients to place calls to their two Senators and tell them that they expect the Senate to address this problem before the end of the year.
Click here to be directed to DO-Online for call-in details
As you know, all physicians participating in the Medicare program face a dramatic cut of 10.1 percent in their reimbursements on January 1, 2008. ACOFP has worked throughout the year to advance policies that would avert this cut and reform the current payment formula. Our efforts did not go unrewarded. The House of Representatives, as part of the "Children's Health and Medicare Protection Act" (H.R. 3162), approved provisions that would provide all physicians with a positive payment update of .5 percent in 2008 and 2009. Additionally, the legislation put in place a pathway to reforming the current payment formula and replacing it with a system that is both more fair and equitable.
Unfortunately, the United States Senate has failed to act. We are now less than 60 days from this draconian cut being implemented. We can no longer sit by and allow the Senate to ignore the physician community. We must amplify our voices and tell the Senate to act-this year-and in a productive manner.
If each family physician places a call and encourages their family to do the same, we should generate tens of thousands of phone calls over the three days. The Senate will not be able to ignore the grassroots support for the issue.
If you have any questions, please contact Ray Quintero, Director of Government Relations at rquintero@osteopathic.org or (202) 414-0140.
