Bipartisan group of Senators announce formation of Medicare payment reform working group
On Feb. 9, Senators Cortez Masto (D-NV), Blackburn (R-TN), Thune (R-SD), Barrasso (R-WY), Stabenow (D-MI) and Warner (D-VA) announced the formation of a bipartisan Medicare payment reform working group.
The primary goal of this working group is to explore the current problems with the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS), propose long-term solutions and make the necessary updates to the Medicare Access and Chip Reauthorization Act (MACRA), which sets physician payment policies in the Medicare program.
The AMA looks forward to serving as a resource to the Senate working group. The AMA convened an ongoing internal working group with several national and state medical specialty societies on the development of consensus principles and proposals to reform the Medicare physician payment system and better promote patient-centered care.
AMA President Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, MD, MPH, was quoted in a recent media article that “This bipartisan approach is desperately needed to fix the flawed and outdated Medicare payment system. For years, the AMA has been fighting for reform. Yet, this year again, physicians face a cut while other providers enjoy an annual automatic increase. We are eager to join this effort, bringing with us solid recommendations and a deep conviction that the current path is unsustainable."
More articles in this issue
- Feb. 23, 2024: Advocacy Update spotlight on the 2024 AMA National Advocacy Conference
- Feb. 23, 2024: National Advocacy Update
- Feb. 23, 2024: State Advocacy Update
