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Clock is ticking on reversing Medicare physician payment cuts
As you probably know, because of Congressional inaction at the end of the year, a new round of devastating Medicare physician payment cuts went into effect on Jan. 1. This 3.37% reduction comes after three years of consecutive cuts to Medicare services.
Enough is enough—Congress must act now to reverse these devastating cuts. If this latest cut is left in place, physician Medicare payments will have been reduced by almost 10% in four years. This is simply unsustainable for our nation's physicians and the patients they serve.
The clock is ticking and, to make matters worse, Congress only has until Jan. 19 to avert a government shutdown and fund programs for the coming year.
The AMA urgently asks you to contact your members of Congress today and demand they reverse these cuts as part of the upcoming 2024 appropriations package. If not, the effects will be exacerbated in rural and underserved areas, which continue to face significant healthcare access challenges.
Medicare physicians and other clinicians do not receive inflationary updates in the Medicare program, which is partially why eliminating these cuts is so crucial.
Congress only has until Jan. 19 to act, avoid a government shutdown and fund programs for the coming year. Further inaction is not an option - please contact your members of Congress today and urge them to support including language in the upcoming 2024 appropriations package that would fully reverse these devastating cuts.
Recording available: The latest on Medicare payment legislation—and how to get involved
The recording is now available for the latest webinar in the Advocacy Insights series—“The latest on Medicare payment legislation—and how to get involved.”
Physicians face a 3.37% reduction in Medicare payments at the start of 2024, absent congressional intervention. Lawmakers have until Jan. 19 to act and avoid this potentially devastating cut to physician practices—practices that have already weathered the pandemic, a 2% pay cut in 2023 and no adjustment for inflation. Without a sustainable Medicare payment system that physician practices can rely on, patient access to care will be in jeopardy.
Watch this Advocacy Insights webinar to hear about what’s happening with Medicare payment on Capitol Hill as the new year begins, what the AMA is doing to fight for legislative solutions and how you can get involved in the AMA’s Physicians Grassroots Network campaign.
Moderator:
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Willie Underwood III, MD, MSc, MPH, chair, AMA Board of Trustees
Speakers:
- Rob Jordan, vice president, Political Affairs, AMA
- Jason Marino, director, Congressional Affairs, AMA
