This from the AMA News = Senate debate shifts to pay fix: A panel plans to consider reversal of Medicare physician reimbursement cuts next month, but reaching agreement on a prescription drug benefit could be trickier. Perhaps some good news is coming.

Although details of the payment package were not available at press time, the overall spending level of the measure is expected to be close to the $30 billion over 10 years approved by the House in June. The House measure included $21.3 billion over five years to replace the deep cuts in physician reimbursement predicted for the next three years with payment updates of about 2%.

Meanwhile, the body of evidence showing that physician payment cuts are causing an access problem for Medicare services is growing. An annual survey by the American Academy of Family Physicians found that 21.7% of its members can no longer take new Medicare patients, up from 17% in 2001.

"My practice has been forced to quit taking new Medicare patients because the costs associated with treating them are increasing, while our reimbursement continues to go down," said Deborah G. Haynes, MD, a family physician from Wichita, Kan. "It's sad, because these are the patients who need us most."

Amen!