Access to Medicare at Risk Due to Imminent Payment Cuts for Doctors: The American Medical Association Urges Congress to Enact Payment Reform Now

CHICAGO, Feb. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Physician practices are facing their fifth consecutive year of Medicare cuts, with Medicare payments down 33% since 2001. According to the American Medical Association (AMA), this leads to reduced access to care for patients, with many practices eliminating staff or limiting the number of Medicare patients they see. Meanwhile, physician workforce shortages, burnout, retirements and office closures are leading to longer waits for patients to see a doctor – especially when on Medicare. The AMA says this is especially difficult for patients in rural and underserved areas.

A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link. 

Eighty healthcare organizations, the AMA and all 50 state medical societies wrote congressional leaders urging them to reverse the latest round of Medicare payment cuts and provide physicians with a positive adjustment that accounts for inflation.

“Medicare pay has fallen 33 percent since 2001,” said AMA President Bruce A. Scott, M.D. “Costs are increasing all around us – and this means physicians have to make difficult choices and in some cases limit the number of Medicare patients they see.” A bipartisan group of 10 House members recently introduced a bill that would stop the 2.83 percent cut in Medicare payments to physician practices this year while providing a 2 percent payment update, aiming to stabilize physician practices and protect patients’ access to care. The bill is the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act, or HR 879, and is strongly supported by the American Medical Association. 

Dr. Scott added: “This is the fifth straight year of Medicare cuts. It’s unsustainable. Congress needs to Fix Medicare Now, connect Medicare pay to inflation, and help doctors keep their practices open to ensure access for Medicare patients in the future.”

Learn more at FixMedicareNow.org.

CONTACT: Media contact:
Jack Deutsch

jack.deutsch@ama-assn.org