Every 7.5 seconds in the U.S., a baby boomer turns 60. Our nation will be experiencing incredible growth of Medicare-eligible persons over the next ten years. At the same time, Medicare is scheduled to cut reimbursements to physicians by 40 percent.

Though Congress has blocked these incrementally scheduled sustainable growth rate cuts every year since 2002, the cuts remain scheduled.

An American Medical Association survey points out that if these cuts happen, 60 percent of doctors would limit the number of new Medicare patients they accept; more than two-thirds would defer purchase of needed information technology in 2008; 50 percent would reduce staff; and 14 percent would stop treating Medicare patients entirely.