AMA House Approves Resolution on SGR

The AMA House of Delegates today approved a resolution that calls on the AMA to continue advocating for the repeal of the sustainable growth rate (SGR) component of the Medicare payment formula for physicians, while upholding the AMA’s principles of pay-for-performance, which were adopted  in 2005. The resolution further asks that the AMA advocate with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Congress for “alternative payment models, developed in concert with specialty and state medical organizations, including private contracting as an option.”

An amendment was added that asks the AMA to continue to advocate for "positive updates"—that is, increases, in Medicare payment. The resolution was drafted by a coalition of state delegations in response to news from Capitol Hill that a legislative proposal was in play to end the SGR—but with significant cost offsets to help pay for the accumulated debt from postponing cuts to physician payment. Said one physician on the House floor, “We are at an uncommon time when we have a chance to do something really important, to speak with a unified voice and see the SGR ended. What this tells our constituents is that the SGR fix will not end our advocacy efforts.”