At a recent meeting, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) discussed a recommendation to repeal and replace the statutory sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula for updating the Medicare physician fee schedule (MPFS). In recent years, the SGR formula has produced steep cuts in the MPFS update, which Congress has repeatedly blocked through legislation, For 2012, CMS estimates that the SGR formula would result in an almost 30% MPFS cut in the absence of Congressional action. MedPAC is considering an SGR reform proposal that would repeal the SGR and replace it with 10-years of statutory fee schedule updates. The plan would freeze current Medicare payment levels for primary care services, and all other services would be subject to annual payment reductions of 5.9% for 3 years, followed by a freeze.  MedPAC also has released a list of potential offsetting Medicare cuts that would raise $235 billion over 10 years to finance the reforms.  The proposals include, among others: reduced Medicare payments for many Medicare provider types and services; expanded DMEPOS competitive bidding; various reductions in payments to Medicare Advantage plans; prior authorization for certain imaging services; changes to certain Part D cost sharing; prepayment review of power wheelchairs; drug manufacturer rebates for dual eligibles; bundled payments for hospitals and physicians; payment of hospital outpatient evaluation and management visits at MPFS rates; establishment of least costly alternative authority; expansion of readmissions policies for additional provider types, and validation of physician orders for high cost services.