Reps. Mariannette Miller Meeks, M.D. (R-Iowa), Ami Bera, M.D. (D-Calif.), Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-Ind.), and Kim Schrier, M.D. (D-Wash.) are circulating a Nov. 16 letter addressed to House and Senate leadership, urging them to take action to halt the impending physician payment reductions, due to budget neutrality requirements, in the 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. More than 100 national medical specialty and state medical associations signed onto the letter.
“The combination of ever-increasing practice costs and long stagnated Medicare payment rates has become unsustainable. When adjusted for inflation in practice costs, Medicare physician pay has declined 26 percent from 2001 to 2023,” the representatives wrote in the letter. “We stand ready to work with House and Senate leadership on bipartisan solutions to stop these drastic payment reductions and provide stability in the Medicare program for our nation’s seniors and the physicians who care for them.”
The letter points out that physicians will face a payment reduction of 3.37 percent, effective Jan. 1, 2024, without Congressional action to intervene.
Meanwhile, on the House floor, Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.) introduced the No Fees for EFTs Act (H.R. 6487) on Nov. 28. The bill would prohibit insurers from charging fees to health care providers for electronic funds transfers. The bill was subsequently referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and House Committee on Ways and Means.
Sources:
https://documents.cap.org/documents/2023-11-16-Signed-on-letter-2024-Medicare-Payment-Cuts.pdf?
https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/6487/text?
