Congress has ten days in which to pass legislation to prevent physicians who treat Medicare beneficiaries from facing a 26.5 percent cut in their Medicare reimbursement. (For additional information on the SGR click here and here.)  Yesterday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) notified providers that should Congress fail to act before the first of the year, the Agency would hold claims until January 11, 2013, to give Congress additional time to act.  It’s unknown whether Congress will meet it’s deadline, or whether (as they did several times in 2010) CMS will have to wait before reimbursing physicians under the Medicare program. This uncertainty is unnerving for beneficiaries (some of whom may face challenges finding a physician to treat them next month while physicians wait for Congress to act) as well as physicians (some of whom are threatening to leave the Medicare program).  Yesterday, the American Medical Association sent yet another letter calling for Congress to act. Let’s hope the 112th Congress addresses this important issue before adjourning for what’s left of the end of 2012.