The American Medical Association (AMA) launched a television and radio advertising campaign to urge patients and physicians to tell Congress that the time for repeal of the broken Medicare physician payment formula is now. payment formula will trigger a cut of nearly 30% on January 1 if action is not taken.

Physician payments under Medicare have been nearly frozen for a decade, leaving a 20% gap between payment updates and the cost of caring for seniors. A drastic cut of nearly 30% is the largest ever scheduled and will force many physicians to limit the number of Medicare patients in their practice. This threatens access to care for seniors and Baby Boomers in Medicare and military families who rely on TRICARE.

"Congress has repeatedly put in place short-term fixes to stop the drastic cuts caused by the Medicare physician payment formula, but that is not a solution—it is procrastination," said AMA President Peter W. Carmel, MD. "These budget tricks only make the problem worse. It is time for the deficit committee to listen to Americans and solve this problem once and for all."

Poll results released by the AMA show a vast majority of Americans, 94%, believe the nearly 30% cut on January 1 is a serious problem for seniors. The AMA’s national television and radio ads encourage all Americans to call on their members of Congress and urge them to protect access to care for Medicare patients.

"Patients and physicians need to tell Congress that enough is enough: It is time to stop these budget tricks and provide a real solution," said Carmel. "Repealing the formula now stops this looming 30% cut, helps ensure access to care for patients, and saves taxpayers money."

Physicians can contact their elected officials through the Physicians’ Grassroots Network or by calling (800) 833-6354.