“Don’t Cut Docs!”

ATTENTION:

It’s up to YOU to tell Congress that another round of dramatic Medicare cuts would hurt patients and doctors. These cuts CAN be prevented. Tell Congress to quit playing politics with patients and share YOUR story about these cuts would affect YOU!

Use the secure form above to add your name to the following letter to your Representative in Congress: 

I write to you today to emphasize the urgent need for Congress to address the significant cuts to Medicare reimbursements paid to physicians. Since January 1, physicians have been paid 2.83% less for services provided compared to 2024, while the cost of providing these services has significantly increased. According to the American Medical Association, when adjusted for inflation, physicians are being paid 33% less to care for Medicare patients than they were in 2001.

I understand that Congress is facing numerous critical issues and competing policy priorities, but our healthcare system is at a crucial juncture. The mathematics of healthcare access are straightforward: cutting Medicare reimbursements creates ripple effects that impact every aspect of healthcare delivery. Providers facing reduced reimbursements must make difficult choices: see fewer Medicare patients, reduce staff, or limit investment in essential diagnostic equipment. Some may even close their doors entirely, particularly in communities where margins are already razor-thin.

To be clear, patients and providers agree that cuts to Medicare reimbursement are cuts to Medicare itself. A recent national survey revealed that a majority of Americans overwhelmingly oppose proposed Medicare cuts, which would exacerbate an already strained healthcare system and threaten access to critical healthcare services. 

Key findings from the survey include:

• 85% of respondents oppose proposed cuts to Medicare, highlighting the vital role these payments play in ensuring quality care for older Americans.

• 80% of women reject payment reductions for mammograms and lifesaving imaging services, underscoring widespread concerns about the future of preventive care.

• 79% of Americans support increased investment in healthcare services like diagnostic imaging, in stark contrast to proposed funding cuts.

Congress should initiate comprehensive reform of the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule to ensure fair treatment across all provider types, allowing medical practices to maintain their operations in the face of rising costs. 

TODAY, I urge you to support the bipartisan Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act (H.R. 879) introduced in the House. This legislation aims to cancel the payment cut and provide a payment increase to address the ongoing inflationary pressures faced by physician groups. Passing this legislation is crucial for maintaining access to timely healthcare, especially for older adults and people with disabilities.

Additionally, I ask you to vote against any legislation that would create a pathway to cut Medicaid funding to states. According to the Kaiser Foundation, Medicaid is the primary program providing health and long-term care to 1 in 5 people living in the United States. These are our most vulnerable citizens. Medicaid eligibility requirements ensure that those on the program have low incomes, and many have health conditions that make it difficult to work. Without Medicaid, these individuals will still seek care, but through already crowded hospitals and emergency rooms. Physicians providing care in these settings will be doing so without compensation, which is unsustainable. Physicians cannot afford to provide free care for 1 in 5 patients.

While Medicare and Medicaid cuts might satisfy short-term budget considerations, their impact would be felt in countless waiting rooms, doctor's offices, and homes across America. We are at a crossroads in healthcare policy, and the American people have made their voices heard. The question now is whether Congress will listen.