The leaders of the Alexandria, Va.-based American Medial Group Affiliation (AMGA) on Oct. 25 urged members of Congress to reverse a pending minimize within the Medicare conversion issue might harm doctor teams, with 49 p.c of respondents to a member survey saying that they may have to put off or furlough employees in 2024 if cuts proceed.
A press launch from AMGA started thus: “AMGA in the present day known as on Congress to behave to reverse a pending minimize within the Medicare conversion issue that would proceed to pressure medical teams and built-in methods of care. As half of its proposed doctor fee rule for 2024, the Facilities for Medicare & Medicaid Companies (CMS) introduced a discount within the Medicare conversion issue by 3.4 p.c. This discount would proceed the results of 4 years of unsustainable cuts to Medicare Half B companies on medical teams and built-in methods of care already overstretched by the continued COVID-19 pandemic, workforce shortages, and rising inflation. In a letter to Congressional management, AMGA emphasised the necessity for Congress to deal with the Medicare conversion issue cuts by the tip of the 12 months.”
“Healthcare suppliers want predictable, secure financing that doesn’t require annual end-of-year fixes,” AMGA president and CEO Jerry Penso, M.D., stated in a press release contained within the press launch. “AMGA members want bipartisan options that be certain that they’re paid correctly with out worry of further cuts to their Half B reimbursements. Congress ought to reverse these cuts so AMGA members can proceed offering strong companies to their sufferers and communities.”
The press launch went on to notice that “AMGA not too long ago surveyed its membership on what actions they might be pressured to take if these Medicare cuts have been applied. Additionally they have been requested about what actions they took in 2023 in response to these Medicare cuts. Twenty-four p.c of AMGA respondents both furloughed or laid off staff in 2023. Forty-nine p.c of respondents stated they are going to be pressured to furlough or lay off staff in 2024 if the cuts proceed. Additionally, 44 p.c of those supplier teams eradicated companies to Medicare sufferers in 2023, and 65 p.c count on to proceed doing so in 2024. Twenty-one p.c of respondents instituted delays in social determinants of well being investments, and 57 p.c are anticipated to proceed these delays in 2024. AMGA created an infographic that sums up the implications of those cuts, which might lead to decreased entry, longer wait instances, extra inconvenience for sufferers, and decreased investments in applications that deal with group well being points.”
This was not the primary time that AMGA had expressed its considerations over this concern. On Sep. 11, the affiliation had posted a press launch to its web site that started, “AMGA in the present day expressed its considerations concerning the proposed minimize within the Medicare conversion issue, which if applied, would cut back Medicare funds to healthcare suppliers. Whereas the price of healthcare is growing, Medicare’s funds haven’t saved tempo. AMGA members will not be ready to take up these cuts, they usually have acknowledged that the lower could lead to a discount of companies, employees, or each. Congress should intervene to cease the discount within the Medicare conversion issue.
“That is now not a theoretical drawback for AMGA members,” stated AMGA President and CEO Jerry Penso, MD, MBA. “AMGA members present very important companies to their communities, and the price of doing so has continued to enhance. Medicare’s reimbursement system must replicate this actuality. This annual cycle of cuts limits AMGA members’ capacity to supply care and impedes funding sooner or later. Congress wants to forestall these cuts.”
In its CY2024 Doctor Charge Schedule proposed rule, the Facilities for Medicare and Medicaid Companies (CMS) is proposing a 3.36 p.c lower within the conversion issue, from $33.89 to $32.75. AMGA opposes this minimize, which is along with cuts which have accrued through the years. The conversion issue has decreased by 3.3 p.c in 2021, by 0.80 p.c in 2022, and by 2 p.c in 2023.”
For extra info on AMGA’s efforts to cease the Medicare reimbursement cuts, go to amga.org/stopthecuts.
