In a letter to the leadership of the Senate Finance Committee, House Ways and Means Committee and House Energy and Commerce Committee, the ACC and 95 other medical specialty societies urged the committees to work with the provider community to “initiate formal proceedings to discuss potential reforms to the Medicare physician payment system to ensure continued beneficiary access to care.”

The letter outlines ongoing challenges associated with implementation of the Quality Payment Program (QPP) and Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), as well as systemic issues tied to scheduled cuts and budget neutrality provisions in the annual Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) – all of which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The inherent instability of the MPFS, coupled with the shortcomings of MACRA’s QPP, has created an environment where many practices have seen their payments decrease year-over-year, despite increasing costs and growing inflation,” the letter states. “… Our organizations welcome the opportunity to work together to establish a pathway for identifying policy solutions that will ensure long-term stability for the MPFS. Millions of seniors rely on the Medicare program, and we must work to ensure it remains a robust and dependable option for those who need it the most.”

Read the complete letter.

Clinical Topics: Cardiovascular Care Team, COVID-19 Hub

Keywords: Reimbursement Mechanisms, SARS-CoV-2, Policy, Health Services Accessibility, Medicine, Pandemics, Leadership, COVID-19, Medicare, ACC Advocacy

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