RT Journal
A1 Mitka M
T1 “Doc fix” saves medicare payments again but takes the funds from public health
JF JAMA
JO JAMA
YR 2012
FD May 2
VO 307
IS 17
SP 1787
OP 1788
DO 10.1001/jama.2012.3724
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2012.3724
AB 
At issue is Medicare's sustainable growth rate formula, which called for a 27% cut in physician payments starting on March 1, totaling about $17 billion for the year. But Congress passed, and the president signed, the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012. That legislation paid for the 27% shortfall through December 31 by taking $5 billion from the newly created Prevention and Public Health Fund and the rest from monies earmarked for hospitals, clinical laboratories, and other health care entities. And the Medicare payment problem will only get only worse as the sustainable growth rate formula calls for a 32% reduction beginning January 1, 2013.