Surgeons Take Action on Medicare Cuts, Help Needed on Trauma Bill

Last week, the ACS reached out to surgeon members in the US, asking them to use SurgeonsVoice.org and urge their Senators to address the 3.37% cuts to Medicare physician payments that went into effect January 1.

More than 700 surgeons responded; afterward, another 30 Senators signed onto the letter, drafted by Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Peter Welch (D-VT).

Read the letter and see if your Senator signed on.

This call to action underscores the importance of the surgeon’s voice in healthcare advocacy. As the ACS continues the campaign to stop the Medicare physician payment cuts with language in spending bills that will be considered in March, we need your help once again—this time on a trauma bill.

The short-term budget extension expires on Friday, March 8, and the time for Congress to reauthorize the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA) is slipping away. PAHPA was enacted to improve the nation’s response to public health and medical emergencies. Unfortunately, this important program expired on September 30, 2023, and has yet to be reauthorized. 

The ACS urges the importance of reauthorization, most recently in a letter sent to Senate and House leadership explaining how crucial PAHPA is to our nation's ability to respond effectively to public health emergencies and ensure readiness against emerging threats.

As such, there are several initiatives included in PAHPA that the ACS Committee on Trauma directly supports. These include the MISSION ZERO ACT and initial language in support of the proposed National Trauma and Emergency Preparedness System (NTEPS), among others. 

Visit SurgeonsVoice.org and encourage your elected officials to take action and reauthorize PAHPA immediately.