More Medicare cuts to doctors in Santa Cruz County!

Yet another medical cut. We already have a huge problem here as SC is considered rural (sp?) so Medicare physicians get paid far less. So they flock over the hill. Few private practice doctors take it at all. The few that do are booked. SC Medical Foundation is not taking new Medicare patients.

Starting July 1st 2008 Medicare will cut payments to ALL physicians in SC county by 10%. There is a bill being considered by the senate, still being prepared to prevent these cuts and considering adding a provision called the "GPCI PROVISION" which would remove this status. People are being asked from doctors and medical foundations and concerned to write the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senator Barbra Boxer & Senator Diannne Feinstein. I will post with contact info Below.

People have fought for this change since as long as I can remember. It really makes SC have bad care everyone as Medicare patients end up in the ER. This effects the retired, elderly and anyone disabled with Medicare, most all disabled.

Again, I will write my senators, but the time for direct action is now!

Speaker of The House Nancy Peolsi
House of Representatives
235 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515

email - http:/http://www.house.gov/pelosi/contact.html

Senator Barbra Boxer
United States Senate
112 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510

to email go to - http://boxer.senate.gov/contact/email/

Senator Dianne Feinstein
United States Senate
112 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20510

to email - http://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactUS.Emailme

Letter from Barbara Boxer

Dear Mr. Rumford:



Thank you for contacting me to express your opposition to any decrease in Medicare payments to physicians. I appreciate hearing from you, and I share your concerns.

As you know, decreasing reimbursements would make it even more difficult for physicians to treat Medicare patients. Faced with both the growing costs of providing health care and inadequate payments from Medicare, doctors are being forced to turn away Medicare patients - hurting the same people we are trying to protect.

Last year, Congress prevented the proposed cuts for 2008 by approving a physicians' pay package that replaces the 10.1 percent cut in reimbursement rates with a 0.5 percent increase and also adds a 5 percentage bonus payment for doctors practicing in areas where there is a shortage of physicians. I hope and expect that Congress will again act before the current reimbursement extension expires.

I believe that physicians and other medical providers are the foundation of the American health care system. Rest assured, I will continue to work to stabilize the Medicare program and improve patients' access to health care.


Again, thank you for sharing your views on this important issue. Please do not hesitate to contact me again about this or other issues of concern to you.

Barbara Boxer
United States Senator