An American College of Radiology-led coalition of 54 provider groups is urging Congress to quash a 3.4% cut to the Medicare conversion factor, set to take effect on Jan. 1.
ACR, the American Society of Neuroradiology and the Society of Interventional Radiology voiced their concerns in a Nov. 6 letter to leaders in the U.S. House and Senate. They noted that, due to budget neutrality requirements, most of this reduction is tied to the decision to up payments for primary care through the creation of the new G2211 code.
“We acknowledge policymakers’ desire for additional investments in primary care; however, these increases are being paid for by an across-the-board cut to all clinicians,” the societies wrote. “It is imperative that Medicare patients have access to the full range of essential health care services, including primary and specialty care. Further, clinicians are facing these cuts when they are expecting a 4.6% increase in medical practice cost inflation in 2024, as measured by the Medicare Economic Index.”
In a Nov. 9 news update, ACR noted that these efforts led to the Senate Finance Committee introducing a potential policy solution. The college said it “appreciates” the committee’s proposal—which includes a 1.25% pay bump to offset the damages—“but contends more must be done to reduce and/or eliminate the scheduled payment cuts.”
“Because it is still uncertain if any provisions addressing physician payment will be included in a year-end package passed by Congress, ACR will continue to work with its provider colleagues to stop the cuts before Congress adjourns,” the college said in its update, urging members to “take action” and urge lawmakers to pass a pay fix.
Others signing the letter included the American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Surgeons, the American Society for Radiation Oncology, the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the American Society of Breast Surgeons.
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.