Federal leaders turning their backs on doctors with Medicare reimbursement cut, medical groups say

Author(s):

Richard Payerchin

Key Takeaways

Physician organizations are pressing Congress to amend the 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule to prevent reimbursement cuts.
The Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act seeks to stop a 2.83% cut and provide a 2% payment update.
A joint letter from 50 state medical societies and 80 physician groups emphasizes the need for financial relief amid inflationary pressures.
The March appropriations bill is viewed as a crucial opportunity for legislative action to ensure seniors' access to healthcare services.

Congress could rectify the situation in upcoming spending bill or with pending legislation.

capitol hill congress washington dc summer sunset: © Philip - stock.adobe.com

Members of Congress are turning their backs on doctors by not amending reimbursement cut in the 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, physician organizations said.

But the federal legislators can help by approving the latest version of the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act, introduced this year to stop payment cuts.

The 50 state medical societies and 80 physician groups all signed a joint letter to congressional leaders asking for financial help. In last year’s American Relief Act, Congress included nothing to offset continuing inflationary pressure that doctors are facing in their businesses, the associations said. Meanwhile, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has announced Medicare Advantage plans will receive an average payment increase from 4.33% from 2025 to 2026, the medical groups’ letter said.

But it’s not too late – the forthcoming March appropriations bill is “an opportunity to provide physicians with desperately needed fiscal relief that is imperative to ensuring that seniors retain access to health care services under Medicare,” the letter said.

The American Medical Association announced the joint missive and praised a group of 10 bipartisan representatives sponsoring the bill. It would stop the 2.83% cut and provide a 2% payment update.

“The time for legislative action is now,” the letter said. “America’s physicians and the millions of patients we treat can no longer accept any excuses, such as an overcrowded legislative calendar, competing policy priorities, or an inability to achieve bipartisan consensus, as reasons for not including provisions that reverse the latest round of cuts and provide a crucial payment update in next appropriations package.”

The letter was sent to House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) and Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York); and Senate Majority Leader Sen. John Thune (R-South Dakota) and Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-New York).