To Address the National Doctor Shortage and Expand Access to Care, Patient Advocacy Groups Call for Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Reform
WASHINGTON – Today, over 30 patient advocacy groups joined Patients Rising in calling for federal lawmakers to pass legislation to stabilize the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) before the 118th Congress adjourns.
In a letter addressed to bipartisan leaders in the House and Senate, the organizations urged Congress to address destabilizing trends in Medicare reimbursement, which are contributing to widespread doctor shortages and threatening Americans’ access to vital healthcare services. Despite the fact that, since 2001, Medicare reimbursement to physicians has plummeted nearly 30% when adjusted for inflation, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized year after year of serious cuts. On November 1, CMS finalized yet another reduction for 2025. If not addressed before the end of the year, a 2.8% cut will go into effect starting January 1.
“Lagging Medicare reimbursement has serious consequences. As costs rise and payments decline, more physicians’ offices are deciding to stop accepting new patients or to cut back on services. Worse, we fear that some practices may stop taking Medicare beneficiaries or close altogether. This would have an adverse impact on patients, especially in rural and underserved areas,” the groups wrote.
Patients are forced to bear the brunt of this crisis. Failure to keep up with the rising cost of care is making it increasingly difficult for physicians’ offices to remain open and provide continued services to Medicare beneficiaries. As a result, the United States is suffering from a serious shortage of physicians and widespread access challenges, a problem that will only get worse as more doctors retire or leave the field altogether.
To help increase patients’ access to care, the groups urge Congress to “pass comprehensive Medicare payment reform that fairly compensates doctors rather than continuing policies that erode the cornerstone of our healthcare system.”
“With the clock running out in the 118th Congress, please keep patients top of mind and help advance legislation that finally sets Medicare on a sustainable path,” the patient advocacy groups concluded.