Congress Adjourns without Addressing Medicare Payment Cuts

Congress adjourned for the year without addressing the 3.37% Medicare payment cuts that are scheduled to take effect January 1, 2024. The ACS is urging Congress to stop the cuts retroactively when Congress reconvenes in Washington, DC, in early January after several pieces of legislation recently were introduced or advanced in committee aimed at the cuts.

Earlier this month, Representatives Greg Murphy, MD (R-NC), Danny Davis (D-IL), Brad Wenstrup, DPM (R-OH), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IN), and Michael Burgess, MD (R-TX), introduced the Preserving Seniors’ Access to Physician Care Act of 2023. This ACS-supported legislation would eliminate the full 3.37% cut to Medicare physician payment.

In addition, the House Energy & Commerce Committee advanced 44 pieces of legislation, including a slate of healthcare bills aimed at lowering prescription drug costs, increasing access to innovate treatments and technology, and strengthening the Medicare payment system.

Included in the list was the Physician Fee Schedule Update and Improvements Act, led by Representatives Mariannette Miller‐Meeks, MD (R-IA), Kim Schrier, MD (D-WA), Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IN), and Robin Kelly (D-IL). The bill would partially mitigate impending Medicare physician payment cuts, as well as make changes to the budget neutrality requirements of the Medicare physician fee schedule.

The ACS led a coalition letter expressing thanks for the legislation while continuing to call on Congress to stop the full cut. Read the letter.

On November 8, the Senate Finance Committee unanimously advanced the Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act. The legislation would mitigate the impending 3.37% Medicare physician fee schedule cut by extending the 2.5% payment adjustment provided in 2023, rather than letting it drop to 1.25% in 2024.

Write your elected officials and tell them to stop the full cut to Medicare payments!