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1 in 4 DOs will drop Medicare if 21% pay cut is implemented

NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted May 24, 2010

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Many osteopathic physicians say they will stop seeing Medicare beneficiaries if current payment policies are not reformed, according to a poll from the American Osteopathic Assn.

Only 42% of osteopathic physicians said they definitely or probably would continue seeing their current Medicare patients if a pending cut of 21% in Medicare payments were to occur. Another 33% were undecided, and 24% said they probably or definitely would not continue to see Medicare patients. Only 30% of those currently accepting new Medicare patients said they would continue to do so if the cut were implemented.

The Benenson Strategy Group polled 1,021 osteopathic physicians on behalf of the AOA between April 28 and May 1, and results were released on May 12. According to respondents, their three largest concerns with the Medicare payment system were rates that do not keep up with medical costs, pay that does not cover current costs, and unreliable pay patches from Congress. At this article's deadline, the cut was set to take effect June 1.

Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2010/05/24/gvbf0524.htm.

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