As Congress prepares to return for its post-election session, physicians have a critical opportunity to advocate for substantive Medicare payment reform before the end of the year.
The bipartisan Patients First Act (H.R. 9693) would help establish a more stable and predictable Medicare physician payment system, protecting physician practices and patients’ access to care.
Key provisions of the Patients First Act include:
- Providing a permanent annual payment update tied to the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) to better reflect increases in practice costs.
- Modernizing budget neutrality policies.
- Creating a physician-led process for developing simplified, clinically relevant quality measures.
- Expanding opportunities for physicians to participate in alternative payment models.
Physician advocacy is essential to ensuring lawmakers understand the importance of sustainable Medicare reimbursement and its impact on patient care.
Click here to urge your member of Congress to cosponsor H.R. 9693.