The release comes at a time when the House of Representatives is expected to vote on its version of health reform legislation soon, and a Senate would follow.
While the AMA supports the health reform bills, despite flaws such as no 10-year fix of the Medicare reimbursement formula and no medical liability reforms, the surgical groups are asking for removal of some provisions of the Senate bill, including:
- creation of a Medicare commission making payment and coverage decisions that now require Congressional approval;
- a mandate for physician participation in the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative, a “seriously flawed” program that has had “systemic problems” since 2007; and
- implementing reimbursement changes that are “disguised to improve patient access to certain physician services” but would involve cutting payments to “all other physicians.”
The AAOS stressed that it does not oppose reforming the healthcare system and, as an example of a positive improvement that it backs, it cited the American Joint Replacement Registry, which could improve patient safety and quality of care while reducing costs.
In the U.S. House, Democratic leaders predicted the reform bill would get a simple majority of 218 votes needed to pass, but the bar is set higher in the Senate, where the bill needs 60 votes to avert a filibuster.
Read the AAOS release on health reform legislation.
