Physicians are facing another round of Medicare payment cuts by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Unless Congress acts by the end of the year, physician Medicare payments are planned to be cut by 8.42% in 2023 which would severely impede patient access to care due to the forced closure of physician practices and put further strain on those that remained open during the pandemic.
Included in these cuts are a 4.42% cut for all physician services in 2023 to offset payment policy improvements in office and facility-based visits. Additionally, physicians are the only providers whose Medicare payments do not automatically receive an annual inflationary update; during this time of record inflation on the heels of a highly disruptive pandemic, this statutory flaw amplifies the impact of proposed payment cuts.
You are encouraged to contact your lawmakers TODAY! Below are two resources you can utilize to send your message to congress.