Northeastern Medical Societies Applaud Introduction of Legislation to Stop Steep Medicare Cuts

For Immediate Release
December 13, 2023

 

Northeastern Medical Societies Applaud Introduction
of Legislation to Stop Steep Medicare Cuts

 

STATEMENT FROM:
Connecticut State Medical Society
Medical Society of Delaware
Med Chi, the Maryland State Medical Society
Massachusetts Medical Society
Medical Society of New Jersey
Medical Society of the State of New York
Ohio State Medical Association
Pennsylvania Medical Society

With physicians greatly concerned regarding the patient access implications of steep cuts to Medicare payment starting January 1, 2024, a coalition of northeastern state medical societies collectively applaud the introduction of legislation to stop this cut.

Enactment of the bi-partisan “Preserving Seniors’ Access to Physicians Act of 2023” (HR 6683) introduced December 7 by Representatives Murphy (R-NC), Panetta (D-CA), Wenstrup (R-OH), and Davis (D-IL) is critically important to protecting our patients’ continued access to community-based physician care.  The state medical societies of Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio are urging our respective Congressional delegations to include this legislation into the year-end package Congress is developing to continue to fund the government into the new year.

Combined with an expected 4.6% rise in Medicare practice cost inflation in 2024, the impeding 3.37% payment cut actually translates to a staggering real world cut of 8% unless Congress intervenes. These cuts would be on top of the cuts imposed by CMS for 2023 that Congress only partially prevented.   In fact, adjusted for inflation in practice costs, Medicare physician payment declined 26% from 2001 to 2023.

Together, our societies represent hundreds of thousands of physicians providing care to tens of millions of patients each year, including to the over 14 million Medicare-eligible patients living in our respective states.  Each of our states already face significant shortages of physicians to fully meet our patients’ care needs.  By failing to prevent this cut, it would make these access to care problems far worse.

Adding insult to injury is that Part B providers are the only providers that regularly receive cuts in their payment.  All other health care providers and Medicare managed care plans receive regular increases.

 

This imbalance must be rectified.  We must end these annual Medicare payment cuts once and for all and enact long-term Medicare payment reform to protect our patients access to timely and quality physician-delivered care.

This legislation is a good start towards addressing this enormous problem with the Medicare program that threatens the promise made to our nation’s seniors.  We urge that it be promptly enacted into law, and additional legislation be developed to prevent this annual problem going forward.

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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 | Manager, Communications
Medical Society of the State of New York
865 Merrick Avenue
Westbury, NY 11590
516.488.6100 x302 | [email protected]

Julie Vecchione
Vice President, Communications
Medical Society of the State of New York
865 Merrick Avenue
Westbury, NY 11590
516.488.6100 x340 | [email protected]