Congress Must Take Immediate Action to Prevent Medicare Physician Payment Cuts

For Immediate Release 
December 7, 2021 

Congress Must Take Immediate Action to Prevent Medicare
Physician Payment Cuts

Statement Attributable to:
Joseph R. Sellers, MD, FAAP, FACP
President, Medical Society of the State of New York 

“With only a few weeks to go before an enormous 10% cut in Medicare physician payments goes into effect, it is imperative for the US Congress to take action before the end of the year to prevent this cut which could have disastrous impacts on seniors’ continuing access to their physicians.

“The cut is prompted by a number of policies that are expiring at the end of the year. The implications of this potentially precipitous cut was made more clear by last week’s report that overall Medicare spending on physician services dropped a staggering 14% in 2020 (Medicare spending on physician services declined $13.9 billion in 2020 | American Medical Association (ama-assn.org), further highlighting the fragility of many community-based physician practices across the country.

“We thank the many members of the New York Congressional delegation who recently joined a letter to Speaker Pelosi and Leader McCarthy urging action to prevent these cuts, but we are nearly out of time.   We urge immediate action to help ensure that community-based physicians will still be able to provide the health care services that are expected and deserved by our patients.”

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Founded in 1807, the Medical Society of the State of New York is the state’s principal non-profit professional organization for physicians, residents, and medical students of all specialties. Its mission is to represent the interests of patients and physicians to assure quality healthcare services for all.  

Media Contact:
Roseann Raia | Communications / Marketing
Medical Society of the State of New York
865 Merrick Avenue
Westbury, NY 11590
516.488.6100 x302 | [email protected]