Health care providers in at least seven California counties CMS classified as rural are pushing the agency to increase Medicare reimbursement rates for their areas, arguing that low payment rates are leading to doctor shortages.
A California Healthline Special Report by Deirdre Kennedy includes comments from:
- Larry De Ghetaldi, a Santa Cruz physician;
- Rep. Sam Farr (D-Calif.); and
- Elizabeth McNeil, vice president for federal government relations for the California Medical Association.
Farr is drafting legislation that would increase reimbursements for the counties, and a lawsuit challenging the Medicare payment rates is before the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (Kennedy, California Healthline, 4/28).