Last week, the ISMA signed on to an AMA letter with other state medical associations and national medical specialty societies to U.S. House and Senate leadership, urging Congress to quickly pass legislation to reverse the 3.37% Medicare physician payment cuts that took effect on Jan. 1. 

“After three consecutive years of cuts to Medicare services, physicians are at a potential breaking point,” the letter states. “Facing a nearly 10% reduction in Medicare payments over the past four years and rising practice costs on top of the burdens and burnout associated with the pandemic, some practices are already limiting the number of Medicare patients they treat.”
 
The AMA anticipates these cuts will be felt hardest by smaller, independent practices, like those in rural and underserved areas that continue to face significant health care access challenges.

“This is our top legislative priority,” the letter continues. “Physicians are the only Medicare providers that did not receive an inflation update this year. In fact, they are the only Medicare providers who have a payment cut in 2024.”