There have been a slew of federal policy updates thus far in 2025, from further cuts to physician reimbursement to major shifts in vaccine recommendations and other public health policies.
Fiur physicians recently joined Becker’s to discuss the federal policies causing them the most concern.
Editor’s note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Richard Chazal, MD. Medical Director at Lee Health Heart Institute (Fort Myers, Fla.): Federal policies regarding recommendations to the public, particularly around specific medications or preventative measures are a concern for all physicians. Efforts to ensure personal freedom and shared decision making are crucial, but must be balanced by valid science and community health.
Gregg Eure, MD. Urologist (Culpeper, Va.): The most concerning federal policy is the continued reduction in reimbursement. There has been a continued decline in Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement for physicians, despite a continued rise in expenses and regulations. The current path is not sustainable. Even this year there was a slight increase in Medicare reimbursement, but then they cut the conversion rate so, bottom line, no benefit. This leads to your second question.
Tom McGue, MD. Chief Medical Officer at Newport (R.I.) Hospital: I am most concerned with the apparent movement away from scientific-based decision making in regards to vaccinations. I lived through a time when as a clinician I had to perform spinal taps on young kids secondary to potential Haemophilus Influenzae, and Meningococcal infections. Today these infections in children are uncommon at best. The false narrative — my opinion — being professed by government leaders (e.g. autism risk) will put at risk the control of these conditions and the other fallout is that parents may translate this false narrative to include other conditions (tetanus, polio, pertussis, measles, mumps and rubella). Children will be injured.
Easwar Sundaram, MD. President of Texas Institute of Neurological Disorders (Dallas): The most concerning is lack of urgency and direction with physician fee schedule and payments. We are always at the end of the totem pole and not taken seriously. As this happens, physicians are just losing hope and turning to employment with [private equity], hospitals and large conglomerates. Patient care seems secondary when physicians can barely make it on their own.
