AMA concurs with MedPAC; Medicare should pay physicians based on practice costs

Statement attributable to:
Nancy Nielsen, MD
AMA President-elect

"Once again, Congress' own advisory committee on Medicare has called for Congress to update payments to physicians to reflect medical practice cost increases in order to ensure that seniors’ have continued access to physician care. If Congress does not take action before July 1, physicians caring for Medicare patients will be hit with a 10.6 percent payment cut. Sixty percent of physicians say a cut of this magnitude will force them to limit the number of new Medicare patients they can treat, and more than half say it will force them to reduce their medical office staff.

"The AMA calls on Congress to replace 18 months of looming Medicare physician payment cuts, which begin this July, with funded payment updates that reflect medical practice cost increases. This sensible approach will give Congress time to work with physicians to legislate a solution to the long-term Medicare physician payment problem."

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Katherine M. Hatwell
Senior Public Information Officer
AMA Media Relations
(202) 789-7419