September 24, 2024
The College has either taken the lead or supported several actions with other medical organizations urging Congress to address the 2.8% Medicare payment cut set to begin in 2025. Your voice is also essential to prompt action from your elected officials.
The ACSÌýled development of a statementÌýsigned by more than 20 organizations representing surgeons and anesthesiologists on the challenges facing surgical care and urged Congress to ensure a stable Medicare physician payment policy.
Surgeons and anesthesiologists are expecting the 2.8% payment cut because temporary congressional relief is set to expire at the end of the year. The Â鶹´«Ã½strongly opposes these planned cuts, which will reduce payments for surgical care, taking effect in January 2025.
In the statement, the Â鶹´«Ã½provided several long-term solutions that would greatly improve the flawed physician payment system. The College will continue to work with Congress on bringing stability to Medicare payment and reforming the broken system.Ìý
In addition, the ACSÌýrecently signed a letterÌýurging Congressional leadership to address the pending Medicare physician payments cuts by providing an inflationary update in 2025 and beyond.
This letter, signed by more than 120 organizations representing more than one million clinicians and the patients that they serve, discussed the importance of an inflationary update and the need for clinicians to have financial stability to protect beneficiary access to high-quality care.
Use Your Voice
As powerful a force for advocacy as the Â鶹´«Ã½is, every individual surgeon can exert powerful influence over their legislators to prioritize the needs of surgery.
The Â鶹´«Ã½is strongly supporting a congressional sign-on letter being circulated by Representatives addressed to House leadership that urges swift action stopping the full 2.8% cut by providing an inflationary update equivalent to the Medicare Economic Index.
The CY 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule highlights that practice costs such as rent, staff salaries, and supplies are expected to rise significantly next year, making action more important than ever.
³Õ¾±²õ¾±³ÙÌýÌýand write to your Representative today, telling them to cosign the letter that will help protect surgical practices and Medicare patients.
Read the September Advocacy Brief for more information.