Update on the Doc Fix

From the National Rural Health Association (NRHA): Early this morning the House Rules Committee posted a bill that would delay all scheduled cuts under the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) for 12 months. In addition to the delay in SGR cuts, the bill includes a number of rural Medicare extenders that NRHA has been advocating for. Specifically, the current ambulance payment rates for rural and super-rural trips, the "work floor" in the geographic practice cost index, the Medicare Dependent Hospital program, and the Low-Volume Hospital adjustment were included in the package. The therapy cap exception process is also included in this bill. 

While NRHA had hoped that a permanent fix for the SGR and permanent extension of the rural Medicare programs could be accomplished, we are pleased that the House has decided to include these critical programs in another patch. The inclusion of these programs will stave off draconian Medicare cuts for rural providers throughout the nation. It is important to note, however, that some of the offsets or "pay-fors" proposed in this bill would harm rural providers. Extension of the Medicare sequester and modification of Medicaid DSH payments will harm many providers.

Read what Modern Healthcare had to say about the doc fix in this article posted yesterday.