Physicians protest coming regulatory onslaught

You and other physicians likely will face a bureaucratic "perfect storm" next year: deadlines for ICD-10 transition, e-prescribing, electronic health records, and the Physician Quality Reporting System-along with a reduction in Medicare reimbursement.

The situation caused national and state medical associations, including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Family Physicians, to seek regulatory relief from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

The medical groups wrote recently to Marilyn Tavenner, acting CMS administrator, asking CMS to review the various programs and deadlines and "take the opportunity to ease the burdens on physician practices."