clinical social work association

Below is an update on the Congressional effort to repeal the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) reimbursement formula for Medicare through HR 2.The Senate started considering HR 2 yesterday.  The procedural hurdle that must be overcome before it is voted on is the amendments which are being proposed.  Leadership has said that all amendments must be submitted by tomorrow when the Senate hopes to vote on the amendments and the bill itself.

If the bill is not voted on by tomorrow, or if it voted on with amendments, the 21% reimbursement cut will go into effect, at least for now.  The amendments will need to be reconciled with the House version of the bill, which will take some time.

If LCSWs are in need of processing these claims to address cash flow, you may want to start submitting claims after tomorrow, even is the cut is in place.  There would still be a possibility that if the cut is eventually rescinded, LCSWs would receive the lost income separately when that occurs.  

Changing the SGR formula is a cumbersome, difficult process.  Hopefully it can be achieved and replaced with a more reliable payment system.  I will let you know as HR 2 gets considered what the outcome is.

The Senate has just passed HR 2 without amendments, 58-42, which means as soon as the President signs the bill, Medicare will again begin processing Medicare claims without the 21% cut that had been looming.

This is exactly the outcome that CSWA had hoped for.  Thanks to all of you for your messages to your Senators in support of HR 2.    

 As soon as the President signs HR 2, which he has indicated he will do, Medicare will begin processing claims at the current rate of reimbursement.  Those of you who have held back claims the past two weeks should now submit them.

Medicare expects processing to take up to two weeks longer than usual because of the backlog. CSWA will send you more information as it becomes available.