MSSNY Physician Leaders and Staff Meet With New York Congressional Delegation on Capitol Hill to Discuss Urgent Need to Fix Medicare Payments to Physicians
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MSSNY physician leaders and staff conducted meetings with several members of the New York Congressional Delegation in DC this week, to urge immediate action by Congress to update woefully inadequate Medicare payments to physicians, particularly in light of the 2.8% cut that went into effect January 1.
The physicians urged support for the Medicare Patient Access and Patient Stabilization Act of 2025 (H.R.879), which would reverse the latest round of Medicare payment cuts and provide an inflationary update to ensure payments in 2025 start to the rising costs of delivering care. MSSNY also urged support for a similar proposal in a potential health-related package in the Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government funded, which expires in March.
Physicians face a 2.8% cut in Medicare payments in 2025 — the fifth consecutive year of cuts—while the cost of running a practice continues to rise. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) estimates that the Medicare Economic Index (MEI), which reflects practice cost inflation, will increase by 3.5% in 2025, yet physician payments continue to decline. Physicians’ Medicare reimbursement has now been reduced by 33% since 2001 when adjusted for inflation in practice costs.
Payment cuts could also force many physicians to limit the number of Medicare patients they treat, jeopardizing access to care for untold numbers of New Yorkers with Medicare. These cuts will be felt hardest by small, independent practices, such as those in rural and underserved communities.
MSSNY physician leaders that participated in Hill visits included:
Jerome Cohen, MD, MSSNY President
David Jakubowicz, MD, MSSNY Pres-Elect
Mark Adams, MD, MSSNY Vice-President
Dr. Louis Auguste, MD
Michael Brisman, MD
Harman Chopra MD
Luella Lewis MD
Thomas Lee, MD, MPH, MSSNY EVP
Jessica Krant MD, MPH
Sophia Spadafore, MD
Stephanie Eng, MD
Gregory Pinto, MD
Allana Krolikowski, MD
Willie Underwood, MD, MSc, MP
Meetings were held with:
Representative Tom Suozzi
Representative Hakeem Jeffries
Representative Dan Goldman
Representative Nicole Malliotakis
Representative Yvette Clarke
Representative Joseph Morelle
Representative Paul Tonko
Representative Claudia Tenney
Representative Nicole Malliotakis
Representative Nick Langworthy
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Senator Charles Schumer
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
MSSNY will continue to monitor and advocate on members’ behalf on these issues and provide updates as available.
