Congress must fix the Medicare system so that physicians are able to stay in practice, especially in underserved communities. At minimum, this means tying annual Medicare updates to inflation. This would go a long way toward bolstering access to care and ensuring that patients can address health concerns early.

As a practicing rheumatologist in Goldsboro, many of my patients are older adults living with arthritis and other chronic conditions. Accessing the care they need can be a challenge, particularly as doctors navigate the impact of Medicare’s declining payments, which threaten our ability to provide timely, high-quality care. That’s why I want to thank U.S. Rep. Greg Murphy, MD, for his recent introduction of the Provider Reimbursement Stability Act (H.R. 8163).

Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. (IA-01), alongside Congressmen Herb Conaway Jr., M.D. (NJ-03) today introduced the Medicare Physician Data-Driven Performance Payment System Act, legislation to modernize Medicare’s physician payment system, reduce burdens on providers, and improve care for patients.

A bill introduced this week with backing from representatives on both sides of the aisle would give the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services more flexibility to adjust physician payments while capping the scale of year-to-year rate changes. 

Congressman Greg Murphy, M.D., introduced the Provider Reimbursement Stability Act, legislation to modernize and update the underlying mechanics of the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) to improve stability for physicians and their patients.

A bipartisan House bill that lawmakers plan to introduce this week would cap annual Medicare physician reimbursement cuts at 2.5% while giving regulators leeway to set annual payment updates.

For many Kentuckians...care depends on the stability of local physician practices. Yet the financial foundation supporting those practices is increasingly strained by flaws in Medicare’s physician payment system. Medicare sets payment rates for physicians who care for seniors and people with disabilities. Unfortunately, those payments have not kept pace with the rising costs of operating a medical practice.

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) recommended today that Congress increase the payment update for physicians caring for Medicare patients in 2027, reinforcing the urgent need to stabilize Medicare physician payment and protect patient access to care. The AMA welcomed the recommendation.

Our older neighbors deserve full access to quality care, not second-best. Congress must reform Medicare payments so physicians can sustain practices, devote adequate time to patients, and maintain the high standard of care our seniors deserve.