Many of your SCMA leaders visited Capitol Hill last week and met with members of the South Carolina Congressional Delegation to express many of the issues important to South Carolina Physicians. The need for a permanent fix to the SGR formula was a priority issue.

However, SCMA leaders also placed high importance in explaining our opposition to health care reform legislation that is currently being considered in Congress. It was stressed that current legislation is complex and burdensome, and takes away the freedoms that patients deserve, as well as the ability for physicians to render proper health care. The SCMA also stressed the need for national tort reform, the ability for physicians to privately contract with patients, and the critical need for physicians to be free of third-party interference within the patient-physician relationship.

"We count our South Carolina members of Congress as friends to physicians," said John G. Black, MD, SCMA president. "Where we disagree, we find merit on both sides. Where we agree, we move forward."

The SCMA considers the trip a success. As you already know, late last week Congress passed a 31 day, temporary extension of the SGR formula which avoided a 21% cut in Medicare rates.