AMA Physicians Grassroots Network
As you know, we've been sounding the alarms that physicians are facing yet another in a series of looming Medicare payment cuts, this time to the tune of 3.37% starting in 2024. With all the Congressional gridlock in Washington, DC the outcome looked bleak – that is until a bi-partisan group of legislators led by Rep. Greg Murphy, MD (R-NC) introduced H.R. 6683 the "Preserving Seniors' Access to Physicians Act." Legislation, that if enacted, would completely eliminate the scheduled 3.37% physician payment cut. Contact your members of Congress today and urge them to fix the flawed Medicare physician payment system by supporting H.R. 6683. If Congress includes this critical legislation as part of the 2024 appropriations package, a potentially disastrous situation for Medicare patients and their physicians could be avoided, but time is running out! Congress only has until January 19th to act, avoid a government shutdown and fund programs for the coming year. Take action now! The looming 3.37% reduction comes after three years of consecutive cuts to Medicare services. If Congress does not act now, Medicare payments will have been cut by almost 10% in four years, which is simply unsustainable for our nation's physicians. In fact, due to these past cuts and the potential for additional Medicare cuts, physician practices and integrated systems of care have and will continue to eliminate services. This includes implementing hiring freezes, delaying system improvements and the transition to new value-based care systems. The effects of these cuts will be exacerbated in rural and underserved areas, which continue to face significant healthcare access challenges. Medicare physicians and other providers do not receive inflationary updates in the Medicare program, which is partially why eliminating these potential cuts is so crucial. Inaction is not an option - Take action now! and urge them to support including H.R. 6683 in the upcoming 2024 appropriations package! Everyone agrees the Medicare physician payment system is broken, and it's time for Congress to do something about it before it's too late. |
For more information visit: Physicians Grassroots Network