Physician lawmakers take aim at Medicare pay cuts set to hit radiologists in near future
Two physician lawmakers are urging Congress to quash upcoming Medicare pay cuts set to hit radiologists and other physicians in a few months.
Reps. Ami Bera, MD, D-Calif., and Larry Bucshon, MD, R-Ind., recently started circulating a letter written to House leaders, asking colleagues to sign on. They’re concerned that a temporary payment increase for providers is set to expire on Jan. 1.
Congress enacted the conversion factor change back in December to help shield physician specialists from reimbursement cuts needed to balance the budget and boost pay for primary care and others who bill for evaluation and management services
“As Congress considers a framework to ensure appropriate reimbursements and improve the Medicare payment system broadly, we must act before the end of the year to avert the imminent cuts, including extending the 3.75% payment adjustment, and provide continued stability for physicians and other healthcare professionals,” Bera and Bucshon wrote in their draft letter slated to be sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. “Otherwise, the profound exhaustion from the pandemic combined with the stress of uncertainty in payments may lead to further retirements, office closures, or reduced staffing, ultimately limiting patient access to care.”
In addition, U.S. physicians are also facing further cuts from the Medicare sequester and Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act. Altogether, these changes mean healthcare professionals are likely facing “at least” a 9% reduction in reimbursement, absent any congressional action. Bera and Buschon believe failure to response could “strain our healthcare system and jeopardize patient access to medically necessary services.”
The American College of Radiology recently highlighted the letter-writing campaign in a Sept. 1 news update. ACR said it’s leading a broad coalition of other provider groups, continuing to “actively engage Congress about this critical issue.” Earlier this year, the college and others had asked the lawmakers to inject an additional $3 billion into the fee schedule to protect physicians during the pandemic.
Two other bipartisan members of the House are also circulating a separate letter to lobby against what they call “misguided and massive” cuts to the Medicare program. You can read more about the two physician lawmakers’ “dear colleague” letter here.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.