The American Medical Association (AMA) and other physician advocacy groups are calling on CMS to reverse proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule updates, which would slash Medicare payment for physicians next year.
CMS proposed in July to decrease the Fee Schedule conversion factor by $1.53 to $33.08 in 2023. The proposed decrease would account for the expiration of the 3 percent increase in Physician Fee Schedule reimbursements in CY 2022 as required by the Protecting Medicare and American Farmers From Sequester Cuts Act, as well as CMS’ statutory obligation to implement a 0 percent conversion factor in 2023.
If finalized, however, the Fee Schedule cut would harm patient access to care, according to the AMA.
“As you know, the AMA is deeply alarmed about the growing financial instability of the Medicare physician payment system due to a confluence of fiscal uncertainties physician practices face related to the ongoing pandemic, statutory payment cuts, lack of inflationary updates, and significant administrative barriers,” the industry group said in a Sept. 6th letter to CMS Admnistrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure.
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