Physicians have threatened to stop accepting Medicare and some have even promised to retire if MACRA rolls out.  Come January 2017, when the Republicans are fully in charge of the government, will they delay the rollout?  The rule is still open for “comment” and complaints continue to flood in from providers that say they have had enough.  In the attached article, a neurologist is quoted saying:  MACRA is “causing the biggest brain drain in the best medical system in the world”.  You will reap the whirlwind you have sown.  I would have never thought the central government would have so little regard for it’s patients and doctors.”  Because MACRA was a bipartisan policy, experts are left wondering if threats from physicians will lead to a slow down in policy implementation or if the GOP will plow forward potentially leaving the nation with a physician shortage.  If many physicians leave, however, this may result in reduced spending for Medicare, which was one of the purposes of the rule from the start.  Read the different view points from multiple sources in the attached  Modern Healthcare Article.

Published by:  Modern Healthcare: by Virgil Dickson,  November 10, 2016