AMA statement on Medicare cuts

The following statement is attributable to:  

Jack Resneck Jr., M.D.
President, American Medical Association  

The AMA is extremely disappointed and dismayed that Congress failed to prevent Medicare cuts next year, threatening the financial viability of physician practices and endangering access to care for Medicare beneficiaries. This 2% cut following two decades of flat payment rates will have consequences on health care access for older Americans. High inflation compounds the threat to practice viability because physicians are the only Medicare providers without annual inflation-based updates. We are deeply worried that many practices will be forced to stop taking new Medicare patients – at a time when access to care is already inadequate. Congress must immediately begin the work of long-overdue Medicare physician payment reform that will lead to the program stability that beneficiaries and physicians need.

The American Medical Association is the physicians’ powerful ally in patient care. As the only medical association that convenes 190+ state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders, the AMA represents physicians with a unified voice to all key players in health care.  The AMA leverages its strength by removing the obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading the charge to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises and, driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in health care.