Tell Congress to Stop Cuts to Medicare in 2023

Physicians are facing another round of Medicare payment cuts by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Unless Congress acts by the end of the year, physician Medicare payments are planned to be cut by 8.42% in 2023.

Included in these cuts are a 4.42% cut for all physician services in 2023 to offset payment policy improvements in office and facility-based visits. Additionally, physicians are the only providers whose Medicare payments do not automatically receive an annual inflationary update; during this time of record inflation on the heels of a highly disruptive pandemic, this statutory flaw amplifies the impact of proposed payment cuts.

When adjusted for inflation, Medicare physician payments have dropped by 22% from 2001 to 2021. Physicians simply cannot afford to operate under the current payment system. Congress must reform the Medicare physician payment system to make it simpler, more reflective of real-world physician practice costs and more predictable for both physicians and CMS before it's too late! Recently, Representatives Ami Bera, MD (D-CA) and Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IN) introduced H.R. 8800, the Supporting Medicare Providers Act, to help address the flawed payment system and provide relief from the devastating cuts.

It is critical that Congress act to pass this or any other legislation that will prevent these devastating cuts in the "lame duck" session. Please take a moment and contact your Senators and Representative to tell them to cancel the cuts!