Establish Sustainable Medicare Payment Practices

The current system is unsustainable and severely inhibits clinicians' ability to effectively run their practices. The nation is facing a health care workforce crisis, limiting patient access to care, especially among rural, senior, and other vulnerable and underserved populations. Without immediate and substantial reform, clinicians may face difficult decisions about whether it is financially viable to keep their doors open.

Over the last 20 years, clinicians have experienced

  • Nearly 60% increase*

    in practice expenses
    *American Medical Association

  • 33% decrease*

    in Medicare reimbursements
    *American Medical Association

Explore the Medicare Payment Building Blocks Video Series


ACC in Action

  • The ACC submitted a statement to the U.S. House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee ahead of a hearing examining the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and MACRA, calling on Congress to establish an annual inflationary update to physician payment, increase the budget neutrality threshold, minimize MIPS-related penalties and expand timely access to actionable claims data for clinical registries.
  • The Democratic and Republican Doctors’ Caucuses released draft comprehensive payment reform and MACRA modernization legislation. Key provisions would address many of the ACC’s key concerns.
  • Following the release of draft comprehensive payment reform and MACRA modernization legislation, The ACC joined a multi-society sign-on letter urging members of the Democratic and Republican Doctors’ Caucuses to include a provision halting further implementation of the –2.5% efficiency adjustment included in the 2026 Medicare PFS final rule.”
  • The ACC launched grassroots campaigns on several Medicare payment stabilization and reform bills, resulting in thousands of messages from ACC members to their lawmakers.
  • The ACC joined other medical organizations in urging Congress and the administration to address long-term Medicare payment reform, participating in meetings with over 50 congressional offices to advocate against the efficiency adjustment in the Medicare PFS final rule.

Policy Progress

  • CMS released the 2027 Inpatient Prospective Payment System proposed rule in April. The ACC will comment in June and look ahead to 2027 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Outpatient Prospective Payment System proposed rules in July.
  • The One Big Beautiful Bill Act includes a provision providing a 2.5% update to the PFS for 2026. However, this update is now nearly nullified by a –2.5% efficiency adjustment included in the 2026 Medicare PFS final rule. The ACC will continue its efforts in seeking long-term reform.
  • The Efficiency Adjustment Delay Act (H.R. 7520) would delay implementation of the –2.5% efficiency adjustment included in the 2026 Medicare PFS final rule and require CMS to produce evidence justifying the reduction.
  • Congress has introduced several bills aimed at long-term Medicare payment reform, including the Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act (H.R. 6160) and the Provider Reimbursement Stability Act (H.R. 8163). The latter bill recently passed the U.S. House Ways & Means Committee unanimously.

Get Involved

Increase Stability in the Medicare Payment System

Tell Congress to Stop Implementation of the -2.5% Efficiency Adjustment

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