AAO, ASCRS continue work on provisions for Medicare reimbursement

Washington, DC-If the proposed 2004 Medi-care Fee Schedule goes into effect January 1, ophthalmologists are likely in for more belt-tightening. The 4.2% cut in physician fees called for in this recently published rule may come as no surprise to many in the ophthalmic community. However, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), and other physician-provider groups are lobbying for provisions to address what they see as a flaw in the sustainable growth rate formula.