Congressional support grows for SGR repeal in deficit package

Earlier this month, a bipartisan letter signed by 113 members of the U.S. House of Representatives was sent to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (or “super committee”) urging it to include repeal of the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula in its final deficit reduction legislation. The letter highlighted that further short-term patches to the SGR would “continue to distort the picture of our nation’s fiscal status” and increase the cost of a permanent solution.

It urged the committee to repeal the SGR and replace it with “a payment system that promotes efficiency, quality and value and ensures access to medical services for Medicare beneficiaries.”