The American College of Radiology® (ACR®), in collaboration with a broad coalition of more than 300 national and state healthcare provider organizations, is pressuring congressional leaders to protect patient access to care for 2022 by averting Medicare provider payment cuts associated with the 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) final rule and other expiring payment policies.
In the November 29 letter, the coalition urged leaders in the House and Senate to make a critical investment in the nation’s healthcare delivery system by embracing swift action to address imminent cuts to Medicare payments, including extending an expiring 3.75% payment adjustment through at least 2022.
This action follows the coalition’s recent work to garner nearly 250 bipartisan House member signors on a “Dear Colleague” letter (finalized October 2021) spearheaded by Reps. Ami Bera, MD (D-CA), and Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IN), to U.S. House leadership calling on Congress to take action to avert the 3.75% cut and other automatic Medicare payment cuts before the end of the year.
Following the release of the 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule, Reps. Bera and Bucshon introduced H.R. 6020, bipartisan legislation to extend the 3.75% update to the conversion factor for an additional year.
ACR members can help the College highlight the importance of this issue by contacting your lawmakers today and urging them to support H.R. 6020 and include the legislation in any viable year-end legislative package.
For more information, contact Megan Marcinko, Director of ACR Government Relations.