| | Permanent Medicare Reform Needed |
An AMA survey shows that drastic cuts in Medicare payments will make it harder for patients to see their doctor.
Consider some of these alarming survey results:
- 60% of all doctors say a Medicare cut will force them to decrease or stop seeing new patients and to discontinue nursing home visits.
- A majority of doctors in rural communities say they will no longer be able to conduct important outreach services due to nine years of projected cuts.
- Nearly 3 out of 4 doctors say the Medicare cuts will force them to delay purchasing critical new medical equipment.
- 65% of doctors say the Medicare cuts will force them to delay purchase of new health care technology.
Many doctors also reported that more Medicare patients are now being treated in emergency rooms for conditions that could have been treated in a physician’s office, that it’s gotten harder to refer patients to certain medical and surgical specialists, and that many seniors now have to travel further for needed medical care.
MEDICARE UPDATE: President Bush is going to veto H.R. 6331, the “Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act.�?/FONT> But it’s not too late to save Medicare! Both the U.S. House and Senate passed this bill with overwhelming, bi-partisan support. Contact Congress using our Patients�?Action Network toll-free hotline at (888) 434-6200 and tell Congress to override the president’s veto and protect seniors and military families access to care. Americans deserve better. The constant cycle of Medicare physician payment cuts and seniors access to health care being put into jeopardy must come to an end, and a permanent solution developed. 
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