EARTH FUTURE ACTION

STOP HUGE CUTS TO MEDICARE COMING IN 2023

MEDICARE IS ALREADY BEING DANGEROUSLY UNDERFUNDED

NOW IT'S GOING TO GET WORSE, UNLESS CONGRESS TAKES ACTION

Health care funding for the elderly in this country is already dangerously underfunded.

Yet this is all about to get a whole lot worse.

Providers will be facing a litany of cuts to Medicare scheduled to take place in 2023 in the Medicare physician payment schedule. The lives of the elderly are at risk. Providers and laboratories across the country could close for a lack of funding. Not to mention that this will all be happening amidst record inflation and the lingering Covid-19 pandemic.

Congress must take action now to protect the lives of the millions of elderly Americans who rely on Medicare.

Here are the four most talked about cuts that will be coming to Medicare in 2023:

— Physician Fee Schedule cuts: Doctors face a 4.5 percent across-the-board cut to Medicare reimbursement rates next year. Some specialties are at risk for additional reimbursement cuts as well.

— PAYGO-mandated cuts: All providers face a 4 percent reduction in payments if Congress doesn’t waive the cuts triggered by the pay-as-you-go budget control requirements.

— Alternative Payment Model bonuses sunset: A 5 percent bonus for providers who participate in so-called Advanced Alternative Payment models, which require doctors to take on some risk related to health outcomes for patients, expires at the end of the year.

— Clinical laboratory cuts: Medicare payments for clinical laboratory tests could face a 15 percent cut.

The Medical Group Management Association wrote to lawmakers on November 14th and said a failure to delay the cuts “will be catastrophic.” More than 500 medical practices across the U.S. reported to the group that the current Medicare reimbursement rates already “did not adequately cover the cost of providing care.” The Medical Group Management Association sent another letter to Congress on December 5th signed by over 100 medical organizations opposing the across the board 4.5% cut.

The president of the American Medical Association, Dr. Resneck, has said the following: “Unless Congress acts by the end of the year, physician Medicare payments are planned to be cut by nearly 8.5% in 2023—partly from the 4% PAYGO sequester—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.”

The Supporting Medicare Providers Act of 2022 takes aim at the 4.5 percent across the board cuts. The legislation is led by Reps. Larry Bucshon, M.D., R-Indiana, and Ami Bera, M.D., D-California.

In a letter, 46 senators agreed that “Congress must address these vital payment challenges before the end of 2022 to ensure seniors continue to have access to care through a wide network” of physicians and other health professionals.

The GOP Doctors Caucus also told House Republican committee leaders Thursday that they need to use the year-end spending package to stop billions in Medicare cuts to providers

Letter:

46 Senators Demand that Congress Take Action on Medicare to Protect Seniors

Bill:

H.R.8800 - Supporting Medicare Providers Act of 2022

Statutory PAYGO Sequester Relief Needed for Health Providers (American Hospital Association)

GOP Doctors Caucus asks Republican committee leaders to act on Medicare cuts (Politico Pro, 12-1-22) GOP Doctors Caucus

Providers stare down a litany of Medicare cuts (Politico, 11-21-22)

Senators sound alarm on need to stop Medicare physician pay cuts (AMA, 11-4-22)

House bill aims to get rid of 2023 Medicare cuts to physicians (Fierce Health Care, 9-14-22)

Plans

AMA Recovery Plan for America’s Physicians

Dems’ American Rescue Plan Defunded Medicare (GOP Ways and Means Committee)

Millions May Lose Medicaid When Public Health Emergency Ends