Aiming to influence how members of the U.S. Congress will vote on legislation affecting Medicare payments to physicians, Los Angeles County Medical Association members met with a congressman and staff members from three other legislators' offices as part of an effort led by the California Medical Association.

Groups of CMA members fanned out in districts across the state to urge federal legislators to renew the State Children's Health Insurance Program and eliminate Medicare's strategic growth rate formula, which currently calls for a 10 percent reduction in physician reimbursement. The association wants to replace the SGR with payments based on the Medicare Economic Index, while testing demonstration projects to find a permanent replacement. The CMA also wants Congress to pass HR 2484, which would update Medicare's geographic practice cost index to raise reimbursement to underpaid physicians in expensive counties without affecting doctors in poorer counties.

On July 11, LACMA member Daniel Stone, MD, a specialist in internal medicine and geriatrics at Cedars-Sinai Medical Group in Beverly Hills, was part of a group that met with Lisa Pinto, district director for Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Los Angeles). "She reassured us that the congressman was very supportive of trying to prevent any disastrous changes in Medicare reimbursement and of renewing the SCHIP program to keep kids insured," he says.

Dr. Stone's delegation included LACMA members Thom Horowitz, DO; Brian Johnston, MD; Paul Kirz, MD; Morton Field, MD; and LACMA Vice President of Government Relations David Pruitt. Delegations from LACMA also met with Rep. Xavier Becerra and staff members from the offices of Reps. Jane Harman and Hilda Solis.

On Aug. 1, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the CHAMPS Act of 2007, which would eliminate the 10 percent Medicare reimbursement cut, if it becomes law. The bill also extends the expiring State Children's Health Insurance Program's coverage with about $50 billion over five years, and updates Medicare GPCI-related payment localities. The president has vowed to veto the bill.