American College of Physicians completes Top Ten list telling Senators and Representatives they must take action now.
1. No more SGR patches! You will have delivered a long-awaited solution to a nightmarish problem, where countless lawmakers before you have failed.
November 16, 2011
(Washington) -The American College of Physicians (ACP) today revealed the #1 reason why Congress should repeal the SGR (sustainable growth rate) now.
Like the other reasons on the Top 10 list, the #1 reason is recognized for making it clear why Congress must act now to enact a permanent solution to the fatally-flawed formula that works to hurt patients, physicians and economic growth.
Starting with reasons ten, nine and eight last Wed., ACP unveiled the Top Ten reasons for immediate repeal. Emails adding to the list have been sent each day to the authorizing committees of jurisdiction (chairs, ranking members and rank and file), House and Senate leadership (majority and minority), super committee members and members of the Doctors Caucus.
Today, they received the #1 reason:
1. No more SGR patches! You will have delivered a long-awaited solution to a nightmarish problem, where countless lawmakers before you have failed.
The list also was posted each day on ACP's website in the Advocacy Spotlight.
The American College of Physicians (www.acponline.org) is the largest medical specialty organization and the second-largest physician group in the United States. ACP members include 132,000 internal medicine physicians (internists), related subspecialists, and medical students. Internists specialize in the prevention, detection, and treatment of illness in adults. Follow ACP on Twitter and Facebook.
Top Ten Reason Why Congress Should Repeal the SGR Now:
10. You'll actually be able to find a doctor when you get old!
9. Please show the same support for doctors' offices that you do for other small businesses.
8. Grandma will thank you.
7. Doctors and their patients will finally stop calling, writing and emailing you about the SGR. Enough already!
6. Doctors can't afford to invest in health IT and other technological improvements if they don't know what next year's (or next month's) payments will look like.
5. The SGR formula also impacts TRICARE spending. Don't you want your military, veterans and their families to be in tip-top shape?
4. Jobs, jobs, jobs! Doctors' offices employ more than just physicians. You'll be saving the jobs of billing clerks, receptionists and other support staff.
3. You have to spend money to save money. The cost of repealing the SGR can be offset with cost savings (potentially billions of dollars) through initiatives that spend health care dollars more wisely.
2. Waiting only costs money. By 2016 the cost to fix this problem will double.
1. No more SGR patches! You will have delivered a long-awaited solution to a nightmarish problem, where countless lawmakers before you have failed. culminate
Contacts: David Kinsman, dkinsman@acponline.org,
202-261-4554
Jacquelyn Blaser, (202) 261-4572, jblaser@acponline.org