CMS acts to limit impact of payment cut while awaiting Senate action

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has informed providers of methods that will be used to handle payment claims until the U.S. Senate votes on a bill to repeal the Sustainable Growth Rate, a key factor in annual Medicare physician payment updates.A 21% cut in Medicare physician payments took effect on April 1. The Senate failed to vote on the bill on April 13, after returning from a 2-week spring recess. The House passed a similar measure on March 26 in a vote of 392 to 37.