While physicians have been calling on Congress to reverse the 3.37% Medicare physician pay cuts that took effect Jan. 1, Congress chose not to halt the pay cut as it averted a government shutdown.
According to a Jan. 25 blog post from the American Medical Association, the move will drastically affect physicians and Medicare patients. Physicians are the only group that does not receive an annual inflation increase, despite the decline of self-employed physicians and the rising cost of running practices.
If physicians received an inflationary update, they would have seen a 4.6% increase in 2023, the post added.
The AMA is advocating for the Preserving Seniors’ Access to Physicians Act of 2023, recently introduced in the House; it would cancel the entirety of the 3.37% cut.
"We are disappointed that Congress chose not to stop serious Medicare cuts for physician services in the temporary [continuing resolution]," AMA President Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, MD, said. “Failure to reverse these cuts will create access issues for patients and small, independent physician practices, especially those in rural and underserved areas. Physicians are the only providers who have a payment cut this year and now face a nearly 10% reduction in Medicare payments over the past four years. Yet, we recognize that Congress’ work is far from done and urge lawmakers to reverse these cuts at the soonest opportunity.”