Updated SGR repeal plans draw political controversy

Legislation that would permanently repeal Medicare's Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) may be in jeopardy after Republicans inserted language that would delay the Affordable Care Act's mandate requiring that all individuals obtain health insurance, NPR reported. The House passed a bill in a 238-181 vote that repeals SGR and replaces the fee-for-service model with quality-based rewards, but now includes the Republican-created five-year delay, which experts said will mean a veto from President Barack Obama if the bill passes the Senate, MedPage Today reported. As of now, doctors across the country who participate in Medicare face a 24 percent cut April 1, which the legislation meant to correct with payment increases over the next five years. The issue stems from the $138 billion cost increase, and a Republican effort to use money from the ACA to pay for the costs, according to a Reuters article. Read the full report from FierceHealthcare