Howard B. Fleishon, MD, MMM, FACR, Chair of the American College of Radiology® (ACR®) Board of Chancellors, contributed this post.
The FY 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule has been released. Although the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) failed to protect patients and providers from the impact of drastic reimbursement cuts due to evaluation and management (E/M) code changes, the fight is not over.
An ACR-led coalition of more than 50 medical associations continues to press Congress to include “Holding Providers Harmless from Medicare Cuts During COVID-19 Act of 2020,” (HR 8702) protections in any legislation passed before it adjourns at the end of December.
HR 8702 allows pay increases for providers who often bill for E/M services but avoids corresponding cuts to radiologists and other providers due to Medicare’s budget neutrality requirements.
As ACR members, all of us need to continue to support ACR’s ongoing efforts to pass these protections.
Tell your senators to stop these drastic cuts.
Now is the time for our radiology community to come together.
Now is the time to act.
Now is the time to protect our patients and our practices.
Together, we can do this.
Please share your thoughts in the comments section below or on social media using #StopTheCuts.