MMA, Other Medical Societies Once Again Urge Congress to Stop Medicare Payment Cuts

November 30, 2023

The MMA signed on to a November 16 letter to leaders in Washington, D.C., urging Congress to quickly pass legislation to stop another impending round of Medicare payment cuts. 

“This annual fight to avoid drastic cuts to Medicare physician payments has to stop,” said Laurel Ries, MD, MMA president. “Now is the time for Congress to reform the payment system to ensure stable funding and to ensure Medicare patients get the care they need.” 

Absent Congressional intervention, physicians will be forced to endure, effective January 1, 2024, another round of cuts stemming from budget neutrality requirements within the CY2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Final Rule. Even though Congress approved a 1.25 percent increase to the conversion factor in 2023, physicians are still facing this cut because of the outdated budget neutrality rule. 

“If Congress does not act by the end of the year to stop this impending payment cut, many physicians will be forced to reduce available healthcare services, cut office hours, or even forgo treating Medicare patients altogether," says the letter signed by the MMA and more than 100 national medical specialty and state medical associations.