America's physicians are calling on Congress to use the upcoming March appropriations bill to offer fiscal relief essential for maintaining seniors' access to Medicare health care services. The call comes through a letter emphasizing the need for action.
The letter highlights a bipartisan effort by ten House members who have introduced legislation aimed at halting a 2.83 percent cut in Medicare payments to physician practices this year. This bill, known as the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act or HR 879, proposes a 2 percent payment update to stabilize physician practices and ensure patient access to care. The American Medical Association strongly supports this initiative.
"The time for legislative action is now," the letter states, urging Congress not to let excuses such as an overcrowded legislative calendar or competing policy priorities prevent them from reversing recent cuts and providing a crucial payment update in the next appropriations package.
The full text of the letter is available online in PDF format.
