APTQI Joins Nearly 100 Stakeholders Urging Congressional Proceedings on Medicare Payment Reform

APTQI, along with a group of 96 organizations representing more than one million physician and non-physician health care clinicians, signed a letter to Congressional leadership requesting the immediate initiation of formal proceedings — including hearings, roundtables, and expert panels — to discuss reforms to the Medicare physician payment system. 

In a February 25 letter addressed to Senate Finance Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-ID), House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA) and Ranking Member Kevin Brady (R-TX), and House Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), the groups stressed the importance of continued access to care for Medicare beneficiaries. The health care clinician groups signaled their appreciation of Congress’ actions over the last several years to mitigate scheduled cuts to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) but remain concerned about systemic issues within Medicare’s current payment system, which have been exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

The letter also cites concerns about challenges associated with the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act’s (MACRA) Quality Payment Program (QPP), which currently prevents most clinicians from meaningfully participating in the program. 

“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. Building on the broad bipartisan and bicameral support for recent efforts to mitigate steep payment cuts, 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,” the organizations wrote.

In addition to APTQI, the American Physical Therapy Association, the Private Practice Section of the American Physical Therapy Association, the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc, and the American Occupational Therapy Association also joined in signing the letter. 

To read the full text of the letter, CLICK HERE.