Physicians: Tell Congress to oppose cutting Medicare payments during a pandemic

As the country’s physicians continue to fight on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, CMS is scheduled to cut Medicare payments by double digits starting January 1, 2021.

This can’t happen - cutting Medicare payments during a pandemic will hurt patients and physicians!

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will be issuing new payment policies in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2021. While the changes have many positive attributes, including improvements for maternity care and much-needed payment increases for physicians delivering primary and complex office-based care to some of our nation’s most vulnerable patients, there is a cost.

CMS operates under a statutory budget neutrality rule that requires any increases in Medicare payments for these office visits must be offset by corresponding decreases. As a result, many physicians now face substantial cuts beginning on January 1, 2021, if Congress does not act before the end of the year.

Payment cuts of this magnitude will surely strain a health care system that is already stressed by the COVID-19 pandemic and could jeopardize patient access to medically necessary services.

In order to safeguard Medicare patients’ access to care during this pandemic, we ask you to contact your member of Congress NOW and urge them to sign on the recent bi-partisan “Dear Colleague” letter on the issue being circulated by Congressmen Ami Bera, MD and Larry Bucshon, MD.

Health care professionals across the spectrum are reeling from the effects of the COVID-19 emergency as they continue to serve patients during this global pandemic and now is certainly not the time to cut physician payments. 

Dear Representative,

As you probably know, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will be issuing new payment policies in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2021. While the changes have many positive attributes, including improvements for maternity care and much-needed payment increases for physicians delivering primary and complex office-based care to some of our nation’s most vulnerable patients.

Unfortunately, a statutory budget neutrality rule requires that any increases in Medicare payments for these office visits, also known as evaluation and management (E/M) services, must be offset by corresponding decreases. As a result, many specialists now face substantial cuts beginning on January 1, 2021, if Congress does not act before the end of the year. Payment cuts of this magnitude will surely strain a health care system that is already stressed by the COVID-19 pandemic and could jeopardize patient access to medically necessary services.

In order to safeguard beneficiaries’ access to care during this pandemic, I urge you sign-on to the recent bi-partisan “Dear Colleague” letter on the issue circulated by Congressmen Ami Bera, MD and Larry Bucshon, MD and encourage you to incorporate the suggested policy changes in any upcoming legislation moving through the House.