In a last minute reprieve for physicians with Medicare patients, the Senate approved the House-passed bill to reverse the 21 percent Medicare physician payment cut under the Sustained Growth Rate (SGR) that was to have gone into effect on March 1. Payments at the restored level are guaranteed until March 31.  An elimination of the 21 percent cut had been held up by Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY) under Senate rules that allow a single Senator to delay action.  In Senator Bunning's case, he sought to offset the bill's cost through cuts in other programs in an attempt not to contribute to the federal budget deficit.

According to AAFP, the Senate is working on a bill to extend these same benefits for several more months.  In the case of the SGR, payments would be extended to October 1, 2010.  This bill will likely pass the Senate by early next week and should be approved quickly in the House. 

AAFP cited physician calls protesting the payment cut as central to the urgency with which the SGR cuts were reversed. CAFP and AAFP encourage members to keep up the pressure on their Senators and Representatives by emailing, calling, and writing to emphasize the importance of dealing with the SGR planned cuts now.