The American Medical Group Association (AMGA) congratulated Congress for its decision yesterday to override President Bush’s veto of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008. By its action Congress stopped a physician reimbursement reduction which took effect on July 1 and replaced it with a .5% update this year and 1.1% for 2009.

AMGA, located in Alexandria, VA, represents more than 325 medical groups in 42 states that provide healthcare delivery to patients under the multispecialty medical groups model and other organized systems of care.

“We are pleased that Congress passed this bill preventing the 10.6% cut in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule,” said Don Fisher, Ph.D., AMGA President and CEO.

The legislation also includes two other provisions beneficial to medical groups which AMGA successfully advanced. These include incentive payments for physicians who prescribe electronically for their patients, thus reducing risks of mistakes and drug interactions, and a requirement that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) establish a medical group reporting mechanism for its Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI).

Fisher added: “As early advocates for the benefits of health information technology, we were doubly delighted that the electronic prescribing provisions we called for made it into law. The same is true for the PQRI reporting language which will lower barriers to our members who wish to participate.”

He also cited Congress for its leadership and foresight in addressing an issue of importance to AMGA members and their Medicare patients.

Fisher identified Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-MT) for particular praise. “Although the legislation approved by Congress is not what Sen. Baucus first introduced two weeks ago, it is clearly reflective of his hard work and persistence on behalf of all Medicare beneficiaries,” Fisher said.